Beyond the Brand is a series of slow conversations with incredible people building things that matter. We talk about the quiet parts of the process—the shifts, the pauses, the choices, that don’t always make it to Instagram. These are stories of shaping a life and a livelihood with care.
This month we’re excited to share our conversation with Susan and Hugo at No.34, a low-intervention wine bar and restaurant with a menu focused on simple, seasonal dishes. Think plates of cheese and charcuterie, elegant seasonal main courses, delicious desserts, orange and white and red wine, cocktails and more. With a relaxing and thoughtfully designed setting and menu, they state their main focus as good old-fashioned hospitality, and it's personally our favourite local restaurant.
What inspired you to start your brand?
S: We love to travel and when we do we search out wine bars, often featuring natural wine as they are places where we know we will find a good atmosphere, interesting wines and people, a relaxed environment and hopefully some good food as well. I dreamed of having somewhere that we could go like that closer to home. Low lighting, a warm, feminine room, fun music, nice team serving and a relaxed feel.
How has your brand evolved since its launch?
S: When we first opened the plan was to be very much a wine bar with charcuterie, oysters and some very simple small plates. Hugo has a background as a food and recipe writer, however, and he got carried away! So, the food has evolved into much more of a thing.
H: Our initial vision was to work with artisanal wine producers of real quality and with small suppliers and producers. This approach has resonated and we now have a loyal customer base. In turn this has made me become more confident and resolved that this is the right thing to do.
What does slow business mean to you and how do you integrate it into your work?
H: Slow business is about people. We talk all the time. Giving people time - both
customers and staff.
S: Nothing about hospitality is slow! For me this has been a steep learning curve. My
background as a food photographer had given me a love of food and a huge respect and
appreciation for chefs and restaurateurs. But I had no idea how demanding it all is until we opened No34. The slow element of No34 is the type of food and wine we serve. All our suppliers are what you could call ‘slow food’. Our vegetables come from an extraordinary supplier who searches out small growers - mostly from Sussex. Our fish is never farmed. Our chickens are free range and come from small producers. Our olive oil is Brindisa. All our wines come from artisans making wine properly, working with the land, not using chemicals.
Are there any specific tools, rituals, or daily habits that help you stay true to your business values?
H: We eat together as a team, without phones, every day. Family meals have been
important since day one. Part of the whole ethos of No34 is to get people to sit around a
table, eat together and talk. We also do not have wifi or encourage laptops in No34.
How do you ensure your business stays aligned with your values?
S: This is about listening and talking, adjusting daily, changing menus, changing wines.
How do you connect with your customers in a meaningful way?
S: Our team are amazing at talking with our customers. We are lucky as we are face to
face with people every day so we hear back directly about what people like and don’t like.
What role does community play in your approach to business?
S: Community is everything in hospitality.
How do you define success beyond profit?
H: Returning customers, a sense of value and of values, and team spirit with the staff.
Positive comments on instagram and in reviews also give a boost to the team who work
very hard to get it right.
S: Nobody in their right minds would get into hospitality in the current economic climate in the UK expecting to make a profit. Success for us is measured in a room full of people talking, laughing, eating, drinking. Our biggest success is when people glow with
excitement at having found us or are enthusiastic after a meal or at having discovered a
new wine.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in growing a business at your own pace?
H: We believe so strongly in community and community requires participation from all of
us, because that is how it all works. Our main challenge has been the incessant rising
costs of doing business and the reality that in the end the customer has to pay for that.
If you could go back and change one thing about how you started your business, what would it be?
H: The truth is the business has evolved in an organic way so it is hard to say what we
would change. We are incredibly proud to have started something new on the High St. in
Lewes. I think we would work to make it more accessible.
What exciting projects or launches can we expect from your brand soon?
We have just started to run a wine course and Hugo is doing cookery courses, and also a
games night. We’d love to see more of this as it builds the community aspect.
Where do you see your brand in five years?
H: Working with local suppliers and small artisan producers lies at the heart of what we do. To spread that further and in an accessible format would sit well with us.
S: Hopefully doing very much what we are doing now with a faithful following.
What’s one small change every business could make to be more mindful and responsible?
H: In such a fast-paced environment like hospitality, taking a moment to pause is really
important. Which is why our team briefings are really important. And source from suppliers who share your values.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start a conscious business?
H: Do it organically and slowly
Where do you see the future of conscious business heading, and how do you hope to contribute?
H: The interesting aspect to this is that the emphasis on sustainability and accountability is having an increased impact. People are becoming more aware of the choices they make. Perhaps there will be a return to a more community-based spirit. Each of us in our small way makes a contribution to this - by creating businesses locally and supporting them.
What is your connection with Rebrandr?
S: they are a much appreciated regular and we share many values around mindful creation and business.