Our rural pubs
Rural Pubs
Licensee: Mark White
The pub: The Cross Keys, Henley, Suffolk
Location: The Cross Keys is on the main road just outside the small village of Henley, which itself is five miles north of Ipswich. There has been a pub on the site since the 1800s - the current pub was built in 1916 following a fire.
Time in the pub: 20 months
Time in the trade: 20 months
Wet/dry split: approximately 50/50 - Mark is keen to ensure that the Cross Keys remains a pub serving food, and that the food element doesn't take over
Beer/wine/spirits split: 63/13/24
Current entertainment: Live music once a month, quiz nights twice a month, regular karaoke and race nights
Strengths: Mark says a lot of local people have great memories of the pub due its previous success. He also points to: its large car park, its large beer garden, and its prominent main road position "nestling in amongst a number of villages".
Weaknesses: The major problem, despite the car park, is its remote location, separate from the village - customers arriving on foot need to approach it on a 60mph unlit road.
Biggest threats to the business: Increased running costs, including rent - putting pressure on the pub's value-for-money positioning; general economic conditions; and the smoking ban
What do you hope to achieve from Sell More, Save More?
While sales have been strong at the pub since Mark took over, the biggest struggle has been turning that into a decent profit, he says. "I've done what I've done without any prior knowledge and with fairly minimal training," continues Mark. "If I had some help from some experts I could really maximise our potential."
Licensees: Tim and Vanessa Robinson
The pub: The Rose & Crown, Perry Wood, Selling, Kent
Location: The White Hart is situated in 150 acres of woodland in an area of outstanding natural beauty, five miles from the town of Faversham. Difficult to find, there is very little passing trade with few cars using the road
Time in the pub: Two years
Time in the trade: Two years
Wet/dry split: 47/53
Beer/wine/spirits split: 60/30/10
Current entertainment: Traditional bar games such as cards, dominoes and cribbage. A traditional jazz night is held every Wednesday, while other entertainments include an annual beer festival with live music, and hog roasts in the summer
Strengths: Location, location, location. Nestling in the woods, the traditional 16th century pub feels like a window into a world gone by, with and open fireplace, good beer, good food and a fantastic garden
Weaknesses: Location, location, location! "It is not the easiest of places to find - we do not get 'passing' trade unless they are lost," says Tim. The reputation of the Rose & Crown under its previous owners does not help trading either - it didn't welcome families, cyclists and didn't like large walking parties.
Biggest threats to the business: Any change to the drink-drive limits; interest rates and disposable income
What do you hope to achieve from Sell More, Save More?
"We have been in the trade for nearly two years now and have put into action several things that have made the running of the pub easier and more efficient," says Tim. "But we are new and we don't know everything in the industry - we want whatever help we can get."
