Healthy heart

Forget all the negative hype - pubs are at the heart of rural communities and Pub is the Hub is helping them stay there. James Wilmore reports.

Tuesday night is philosophy night at the Old Crown. Locals gather to discuss the finer points of life over a pint or two of beer made at the pub's own brewery. Drinkers make use of the pub's in-house library and may even enjoy a pie or a cake made by one of the villagers.

The Cumbrian pub is a shining example of a scheme launched four years ago known as Pub is the Hub. The initiative, aimed at ensuring the prosperity of rural pubs by encouraging them to diversify into other services, has been a notable success. Around 130 projects across the country have been completed so far.

As a result a national steering group is now being set up to expand the project. Financial backers include the Post Office, Diageo, Enterprise Inns, Scottish and Newcastle Pub Enterprises, Punch Taverns, the Campaign for Real Ale, the BII and the Countryside Agency.

The biggest supporter of all, though, has been Prince Charles, who launched the project. Despite his current busy schedule he is still keeping a close eye on its progress.

As he said recently: "I have been overwhelmed by the determination of so many villages to keep their pub at the centre of their communities, despite all the pressures."

Volunteering for help​

Until now, Pub is the Hub has survived on the sole efforts of its voluntary co-ordinator John Longden. But the coming together of heavyweight backers means it will receive a much-needed boost. "By having these companies involved we can really get the message across and it will be everybody working together to assist rural pubs," says John.

Indeed, Diageo has even volunteered members of its sales teams to visit rural pubs to help them work out how they can diversify.

Diversification appears to be the key to understanding what Pub is the Hub is and what it hopes to achieve. Essentially it aims to help rural pubs develop services to meet the needs of the community. This can be by incorporating a post office or a shop, or even a dry cleaning service, in the hope of attracting more business.

It all sounds good in theory, but how do licensees go about expanding their services?

"The first step is to see what the community really needs or what it has lost recently that it could do with again," said John. "Then it's important to see if the facilities are available in the property and if it's a viable prospect."

Once a pub has an idea it can approach Pub is the Hub via its website - www.pubisthehub.org.uk. The licensee will then be contacted by the organisation to see if it can assist in making the idea reality.

Future plans​

John, who divides his time between Pub is the Hub and working for chartered surveyors Gerald Eve, currently offers a purely advisory role. But in the future he hopes it will become a charitable trust and provide financial support. As he explains: "Ideally we need some more funding so we can help get the projects off the ground, and that may come in the future." For now, John is concentrating on dealing with the 60 or so requests he is getting a week from pubs.

"Country pubs have had a tough time of it of late," comments John. "The rural economy is changing and with more people using these areas to commute from rural values are changing."

Other factors John believes have hit village pubs include the growth of managed pubs on the high street, young people travelling out of the villages to drink and tighter drink-driving laws.

All these factors are reflected in the growing need for assistance from Pub is the Hub.

"Demand for help for pubs in rural areas has far exceeded our capacity," says John. "But this new investment will mean much more can be achieved.

"We still need a significant amount of funding, but if we can secure this it could be a very big year for Pub is the Hub and the revival of rural pubs."

• For more information visit www.pubisthehub.org.uk, email enquiries@pubisthehub.org.uk or call 020 7333 6366.

Benefiting from Pub is the Hub:​

• The Dykes End, Reach, Cambridgeshire​

Forty-nine villagers formed a company - Reach for a Pint Ltd - and bought the ailing pub themselves. Renovations were carried out and led to a 100 per cent increase in turnover.

"Pub is the Hub is a valuable initiative," says Bryan Pearson, who headed up the company. "By getting a lot of important organisations on board it will help raise the issue of the decline of rural pubs nationally."

The Old Crown, Heskett Newmarket, Cumbria​

The Old Crown is just one of many pubs to have benefited from the assistance of Pub is the Hub. The pub was rescued by a group of enterprising villagers who set up a co-operative. Money was donated from as far afield as the US and eventually 125 people joined the co-op, each contributing £1,500.

Since it has been operating as a true co-op where villagers cook food for the pub and provide cakes and pies, turnover has increased by a whopping 50 per cent.

"There's a real community spirit and it's definitely more than just a pub," says the licensee Lou Hogg. "Pub is the Hub has been a real inspiration."