It’s so important to look after rural pubs

A heady cocktail of problems which are threatening the very existence of rural pubs, according to publicans and brewers.

Rosalind Hasbury has been in the pub trade for more than 24 years and is licensee of the Hunter’s Lodge, a free house in Sinton Green, Hallow, Worcester.

Having run the business for 18 years – and brought up her two children, she believes her village pub cannot survive as it is without drastic change.

From a high point eight years ago, employing seven part-time staff there is now just her.

She said: “I love pubs; they are part of the rural community. But they’ve got to be there because otherwise we lose something that is unique to this country.”

Mrs Hasbury believes problems facing her and others’ pubs are down to several factors combining to bring the situation to a head.

The Government’s introduction of a smoking ban on all enclosed public spaces including pubs on July 1 last year did the 56-year-old’s trade no favours.

“We were never consulted.

“You do the best job you can and then the ban was introduced,” Mrs Hasbury said.

“It has driven people outside the pub. The other day I was the only person at the bar. “ The ban was imposed during the midst of last year’s flooding and although there was no floodwater in the pub it stemmed the number of customers to a trickle, according to Mrs Hasbury.

She also believes the introduction of 24-hour licensing laws in November 2005 has been a doubleedged sword and only taken away customers from country pubs.

Mrs Hasbury said: “It only really benefited supermarkets because they could open 24 hours a day selling drink.

“But the supermarkets then take no responsibility for binge-drinking, which is instead blamed on pubs.”

She said the knock-on effect was few people in rural England wanted their peaceful surroundings disturbed by the idea of all-night drinking at their local pubs.

When Mrs Hasbury applied for a licence change to extend opening hours to cater for weddings she was turned down. The availability of cheap booze from supermarkets at a time when the price of beer and inflation is climbing has also left the licensee with little room to manoeuvre.

On top of the problems, Mrs Hasbury believes a wider cultural change has taken place among the country’s drinkers which is adding to the issue.

Total pub beer sales are at their lowest since the 1930s, according to the British Beer and Pub Association and have been declining since 1979.

“I don’t think the numbers (of drinkers) are going down but the whole concept of going to the pub and drinking for a few hours has changed,” she said.

“People will rather go and buy a few cans from the supermarket and go to each other’s houses.

“But if these pubs keep closing, one day we’ll go looking for one and they are not going to be there.”

She admits without extra income from the family’s mobile bar business Bars on The Run, there would be no cash to keep the pub open.

But Mrs Hasbury is refusing to admit defeat and is exploring the idea of turning the pub into a steakhouse.

“It’s hard to run a pub anyway but then you open up and nobody comes.

“So I’m thinking of changing the concept – I’m going to try.”

Bill Ottaway, of Worcester Campaign For Real Ale, said rural pubs were dependent on regular trade so any drop in custom had a “severe impact.”

“I think many have shaken off the flooding problems because of regulars,” he said.

“But with supermarkets selling booze cheap to get people through the door, all these things are taking trade away from pubs and some are struggling.”

Chris Gooch, head brewer at Teme Valley Brewery, knows all about the problems surrounding pubs after suffering in last summer’s floods.

The successful brewery is based at the Talbot, in Knightwick, on the banks of the river Teme.

Surrounded by rolling countryside, it was hit in June and then again in July following heavy rain storms.

Mr Gooch said: “We were up and running within three weeks but we were without a forklift truck for six months.

“Our customers had a very disappointing summer.”

Mr Gooch said both he and the Talbot’s owners Wiz and Annie Clift, were determined to keep the businesses going following the floods.

He said that although overall sales were dipping for larger breweries, smaller breweries were growing their market share.

The brewery bounced back from the floods, making more in 2007 than it did the previous year.

On the back of this success, Mr Gooch called for punters to support their local pubs, where the pain was being felt the most.

He said: “It’s so important that we look after rural pubs who had such a terrible time last year.

“Just let them know they are appreciated.”