12/10/2026
£2 million in turnover. But at what cost?
12 years ago, Gaz and I started Pirate’s Grog with a dream of building something of our own. Fast forward to today and we’ve built an award-winning rum brand, stocked in national retailers, with millions in sales and a brilliant community of customers behind us.
Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?
And don’t get us wrong, we’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved.
But here’s the bit we don’t tend to put on Instagram.
The ridiculously long days. The working weekends. The cancelled plans. The constant juggling of bills, rising costs and taxes. Having to make difficult decisions, cut back on staff and somehow find the time to do three more people’s jobs yourself.
We’ve poured everything into Pirate’s Grog. Our money, our time, our weekends, our sanity (questionable to begin with). We’ve made sacrifices most people never see, including putting the business and our team before our own pay packets.
And while the business has grown, so have the costs of keeping it running.
Supplier increases, business rates, Employer National Insurance, taxes, rising overheads. Every time you think you’re getting somewhere, there’s another bill waiting around the corner.
And the frustrating thing is, we’re doing what we’re supposed to do. Building a British business, creating jobs, investing, growing, working hard.
But at what point is all that hard work actually supposed to pay off?
We’ve been watching other independent businesses speaking out about these same challenges, and it’s reassuring to know we’re not alone.
Big shout out to Barbakan Delicatessen Ltd. for speaking so openly and honestly about the reality of running an independent business, Tom Kerridge for championing the campaign to reduce VAT for hospitality, Rachel Harris Rachel Harris for saying it how it is, and Pat Smith for at least giving us something to laugh about while the country goes mad.
Because this isn’t just about Pirate’s Grog. It’s about thousands of independent businesses across the UK, run by people who have put everything into building something they’re proud of.
Drop a msg below if this sounds like you! We see you and we understand!
