A Hampshire pub dedicated to offering local facilities and going the extra mile for the community has been named as the best rural pub in the UK by LPG supplier Calor.
The Calor Rural Pub in the Community Award, supported by Business in the Community and its Pub is the Hub campaign, celebrates pubs that have diversified their businesses to offer their local community a wider range of services.
Pauline Davey and her partner Tim Smith purchased the Master Robert Inn, Buriton, in January 2005 and quickly made the pub their own. As the village had lost its post office and shop, the function room at the back of the pub was transformed to bring back the much needed facilities. But unusually for a village stores and indeed a pub, Pauline and Tim take phone orders from the elderly or house-bound in the village and deliver their goods personally.
Pauline was left speechless when the Master Robert was announced as the overall winner over three other finalists. After the ceremony she said: “It’s a real team effort and winning this award will mean as much to all of our staff as it does to me and Tim. It just makes all the hard work seem worth it.”
The three other finalists, given highly commended honours were The True Lovers Knot, Tarrant Keynston, Dorset, The Fighting Cocks, Stottesdon, Shropshire and The Fox Inn, Honington, Suffolk.
Sabrina Jackson, Calor’s commercial market manager said: “This is the first year we have introduced the award, which is part of the established Calor Village of the Year® competition. The response to the award has been outstanding and we have even received entries from members of the public who believe their local pub deserves recognition for the good work they are doing.”
Award judges looked for pubs that have found innovative ways in which to serve their local community and help their own business success in the process. Examples include offering Internet facilities, meeting rooms for community groups or providing additional retail facilities such as a post office or general stores.
John Rudden, the current Pub Chef of the Year, joined the pub award as one of the judges. As co-director of the White Hart at Lydgate near Oldham, John has metamorphosed his own business from a former country beer stopover to complete all-rounder, offering customers two restaurants, function rooms, bedrooms and a bar that still flags up the notion of a traditional pub atmosphere.
He said: “Judging was very difficult as we had so many excellent examples of what makes a pub the hub of its community and the four finalists were all outstanding entries.”
John also forms part of the prize for the award as he will visit the winning pub and work alongside staff to deliver a charity event for the benefit of the local community. He will also host a return visit to the highly successful White Hart, where he will demonstrate the secret of his own success.
Publicans interested in next year’s award can register to receive further details and an entry form by emailing: kbiggs@calor.co.uk.
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Issued on behalf of Calor by Connect PR
For more information, please contact
Kathy Jarvis / Sue Foster
Connect PR. The Chubb Buildings, Fryer Street, Wolverhampton WV1 1HT.
Telephone: 01902 714957. Email: kathy@connect-group.com / suefoster@connect-group.com
Notes to Editors:
Calor Village of the Year®
Calor, the leading supplier of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) to those living and working in the countryside, has supported rural activities in England, Scotland and Wales for 20 years through its Rural Sponsorship programme, which includes the Calor Village of the Year® for England and Wales competitions and the Calor Scottish Community of the Year competition.
The Calor Village of the Year® for England competition, now in its tenth year, was founded and developed by Calor, and is organised and funded by the company on an annual basis.
Please note that Calor Village of the Year® is a registered trademark and should be referred to in full in all circumstances.
The national Calor Village of the Year® judges look for well-balanced, pro-active, caring communities which, irrespective of size, have made the best of local opportunities to maintain and enhance the quality of life for all residents.
For general information on the Calor Village of the Year® for England and Wales competitions:
email: info@calorvillageoftheyear.org, tel: 01926 318634, or visit: www.calorvillageoftheyear.org
For more information on the Calor Scottish Community of the Year competition:
visit: www.communityoftheyear.co.uk
Pub is the Hub
Pub is the Hub encourages social enterprise and diversification projects for pubs where these can deliver commercial viability in supporting rural services which are under threat or have ceased trading.
Launched in 2001 by HRH The Prince of Wales, as President of Business in the Community and its Rural Action team, the scheme looks for innovative ways to ensure rural pubs remain relevant to the needs of local communities so that they can continue to thrive, In some instances, village communities acting as co-operatives have bought their own local pub in order to ensure it is retained as a service centre for the local community. Further information on Pub is the Hub is available from their website at www.pubisthehub.org.uk
For more information on Pub is the Hub - contact John Longden, on (mob) 07831 899265
Tel: 01423 568987, or at chartered surveyors Gerald Eve - 020 7333 6366.
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Released: September 2006
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