Essex Community Pub Saved

Essex Community Pub Saved

Ye Olde Cherry Tree in Little Oakley, near Harwich, Essex has a story to tell. Despite having a history of excellence, it has recently had to really fight for its survival against a backdrop of forced periods of closure over the past couple of years - changing hands and landlords several times.

Now however it is under new management and is proud of its chequered history and the valiant efforts and campaigning that has kept this community pub alive. It is an inspiring story and you can read more about how this Essex community pub was saved.

I am very pleased to see them join in the Quest for the Nation's Favourite Pub Walk and I have selected them as "Today's participating pub" below.

Today's participating pub: Ye Olde Cherry Tree in Little Oakley, Essex.
Prizes offered: A 3-course Sunday Lunch for two.

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Rural Pubs to offer Postal Services

Rural Pubs to offer Postal Services

We've all seen it. Alistair Darling, Trade and Industry Secretary, trying to convince us all that the planned closure of 2,500 post offices is actually a good thing and that we'll all reap the benefits. Well, I'm not so sure of that. Readers of my blog will know what I feel about the loss of services in rural communities.

But this time, there could be a few winners. The organisation Pub is the Hub champions the rural pub and is looking to open up post offices in rural pubs across the country. It has already done this successfully in 100 pubs over the past 5 years as it helps pubs expand their businesses into wider community services.

Today's pub walk: The Boringdon Arms near Plymouth, Devon.

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Countryside Communities Under Threat - Cornish Village fights back

Well you have to hand it to them. Many people complain about the impact on their village of the loss of their post office, pub, school or other focus of the community. But the residents of Lanreath in Cornwall did much more than complain, they took concerted actions.

In Monday's BBC2 "Power to the People" series, we saw the invasion of Islington Green by a small Cornish village protesting at the closure of its treasured school. This was the final straw following the demise of their post office, pub, shop and dairy farm. So they transported a cross section of the village to the centre of London, including a few cows, sheep and the morris dancers, all coordinated by the WI with help from the BBC reporter.

Sadly their protest fell on deaf government ears but the effort mobilised the community of Lanreath to the extent that they then successfully re-opened their local pub and post office as community projects. There was a strong message in here to any villager feeling they are powerless to perpetuate the village way of life.

For anyone interested in fighting to rescue their local pub from the threat of closure, see this earlier post How to Save Your Community Pub.

Today's pub walk: The Beaulieu Road Inn in The New Forest, Hants.

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Gastro pubs that spend £1.16 on your meal

Saturday’s Telegraph included an item on pub food with the headline “Gastro pubs that spend £1.16 on your meal”. This was apparently the average cost of the food in a typical pub meal in 2006 and the article laid into pubs on the basis that they were making excessive profits from their customers.

Well, sorry, I have to disagree. The article ignored the fact that the ingredients are just one of the costs of the meal, that the chef and serving staff have to be paid, and that every business has to also cover its overheads if it is to survive. The fact is, as with everything, there are bad ones and there are good ones with the best pubs offering great value for money while serving up good, wholesome food.

So let’s all share our experiences, good and bad, and help avoid all pubs being tarred with the same brush.

Today's pub walk: Ye Olde Bull Ring Tavern in Ludlow, Shropshire.

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Pubs to find their own Best Pub Walks

As part of the initiative to find the Nation's Favourite Pub Walk, licensees are being encouraged to run their own competitions to find the best walks from their own pubs. They are being offered support from MyFavouritePubWalks.com which has produced posters, flyers and guidance for licensees and will automatically include all online entries in the national competition.

The trade magazine "The Publican" has included a news item on its website which can be see by clicking here.

Today's pub walk: The Peacock Inn in Chelsworth, Suffolk.

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Posted: SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2007

5000 pubs to close by 2011

According to the caterersearch website, a Price Waterhouse Coopers report just published suggests 5000 pubs could close by 2011 if current trends continue. This is a significant number when compared to the total of around 58,000 pubs in the UK. The reason given by PWC is a combination of the smoking ban, a clampdown on drinks promotions and declining beer sales.

Readers of this blog will know I have a real concern over the decline in the fortunes of our pubs and the effect the loss of a pub has on its community. However the report indicates that those establishments hardest hit will be those relying only on drinks and those not providing outdoor areas for smokers. Hopefully most of our community pubs will already be planning for the smoking ban and will ensure they do not fall into either of these categories. After all, if they are really pubs that support their communities then they need to provide food and smoking areas anyway.

Today's pub walk: Fort St. George in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire.

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Posted: SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2007

How to Save Your Community Pub

I saw yet another article today about a community pub being demolished for redevelopment as a 65-bed care home. The locals have gathered a 500 signature petition to try to preserve the pub and a planning decision regarding the change of use is imminent. Whether it is too late for this pub who knows but at least the community are fighting for its survival.

For anyone wanting to start a campaign to save their local pub, I recommend getting the action pack available from the Community Pubs Foundation website. The foundation also offers advice and small grants to local groups trying to save their pub so anyone in that position should visit their site.

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Why Community Pubs Need Pub Walks

56 pubs are closing permanently in Britain every month, according to the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) with another 1300 currently under threat. These are shocking statistics given that so many of these are at the centre of a community that then loses something irreplaceable. This means pubs need to use every trick in the book to get thirsty and hungry punters beating a path to their door.

So why then do so few of them use pub walks to promote their business? It's not like they all have to be country pubs to have an enjoyable pub walk - most towns and cities have green spaces or a river or heritage trails or other themed walks - so they all share this opportunity to gain new customers.

It may be an ambitious hope, but I would like my website and this blog to help us all to stay alert to community pubs under threat and then encourage us all to support them by sharing our favourite walks centred on these pubs.

In the end their survival will depend upon how successfully they serve both their immediate communities and their visitors but at least we can help those visiting walkers find and enjoy some real gems.
See update...

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