Say hello to… Dave Dobson
It’s National Butchers week so we thought we’d introduce you all to one of our Butchers, Dave. 30-year-old Dave has just moved to the Cumbrian Food Hall from our Brampton Food Hall at the beginning of March as Assistant Manager. We caught up with him on his second week at the food hall …
Take us through your time with Cranstons…
“I started at Cranstons Brampton, the old shop, in 2015 as a full time sales assistant. The job I was in at the time didn’t have any prospects and I went into Cranstons on a whim to see if there were any vacancies. The day after I popped in, I received a phone call and next thing I knew, I was on my way to an interview with the retail director. It really started from there!
“Cranstons is a great place to work if you want to progress as there are plenty of opportunities. I was quickly asked if I wanted to become a butchery apprentice and as I like a challenge I accepted. After I achieved that qualification I became a supervisor at the new food hall in Brampton. While I was a supervisor I did both level two and three Institute of Leadership and Management [ILM] courses and was promoted to assistant manager at the Brampton Food Hall. ”
What made you choose to become a butcher?
“Before Cranstons I served in the British army for 5 years, including a tour of Iraq. I loved the army and struggled to find anything fulfilling when I came out, I tried a couple of jobs that I didn’t enjoy and was at a loose end when I walked into Cranstons.”
“I just couldn’t motivate myself to move forward with my life. It was hard to let go of the fact that I wasn’t in the army any more. I was medically discharged so it was difficult to come to terms with that, I wasn’t in control of it.
“After being based in Osnabruck, Germany and going on various exercises across the world, like Belize and Canada and obviously serving in Iraq – it was like going back into a different world. Getting the job at Cranstons was a turning point as it gave me something to get stuck into again.”
“The Army gave me discipline, strength of mind and confidence in myself. It was keep up or fall behind and you just wanted to be first the whole time. You had to strive to be the best. I feel that has stuck with me and helped me to progress fairly quickly within Cranstons”
What are your career goals?
If you don’t set your goals high you aren’t going anywhere! I’d like to be a manager of my own branch of Cranstons. I’m setting my sights high – I said to Martin (then retail director) I wanted his job in my interview, I had no idea he was that high up in the company at the time!
What do you do to keep busy when you’re not at work?
“I’m very family orientated. I love being a Dad! I spend most of my time outside of work with my wife and my three boys.
“I do like going fishing just for some chill time, I take my eldest along as he loves it.”
What’s your favourite cuisine?
“If I had to choose one, probably Italian. You can’t go wrong with pizza, pasta, gelato!
I must say I do love a good Spaghetti Bolognese and I get the steak mince from work – it is the best for it! Gotta have copious amount of parmesan on it though!”
What products would you like to introduce to the ranges at Cranstons if you were the decision maker?
“Oooh now you’re talking! I love street food and would love to bring some tastes of the continent to Cranstons like lamb kofta and feta kebabs, and a party food range – mini Cranstons food!”
What are the funniest moments from your time at Cranstons?
“I like a good night out and have had some great nights with the Brampton team. A couple of years ago the whole shop turned up dressed in day of the dead attire at the Mexican themed Cranstons summer party. It must have been a good night as I fell asleep in the rain on a bench; face paint ran down my face and everything! I wouldn’t like to see the pictures from that one.”
“The Cranstons charity challenges have also been a highlight, I was part of the team that completed the 10 peaks in 20 miles fell walking challenge back in 2018 and the Dragon Bay boat race crew in 2019, both challenges were epic and full of laughter. We might make mountaineers but our rowing was terrible! We were beaten substantially by a boat of pensioners as we couldn’t row in a straight line!”Penri