Community pubs fit for a prince

The idea of a pub being at the centre of community life seems outdated to some. With numerous reports telling us of people's increasing desire to stay at home and entertain themselves with Nintendo Wiis, DVDs and the internet, you could be forgiven for thinking that the idea of community was fading fast.

Yet there are examples that offer hope. One case emerged from the Olympics last week. In the Welsh village of Wick, as news of local girl Nicole Cooke's gold-medal-winning feat broke, around 100 villagers came together to celebrate - as a community. And where was this done? The local pub, of course.

At this point in time, the pub was the hub of the local community. Nowhere else in that village could people have come together to experience a moment of collective joy, feeling comfortable and well looked after, and slaking their thirst at the same time. Recognising the social benefits of maintaining pubs such as Wick's Lamb and Flag is one of the central beliefs behind Pub is the Hub.

As a reminder to those not familiar with the scheme, the initiative helps pubs integrate threatened local services, such as the post office, into their business.

In its seven-year history, the scheme has helped nearly 360 pubs secure funding to incorporate a host of services, including village shops, laundrettes and libraries.

Quite an achievement. But to continue offering rural - and now some urban - pubs a lifeline is a hefty challenge for the man behind Pub is the Hub, John Longden.

"We're at an absolutely pivotal stage," says John, just after overseeing a visit by Prince Charles, the scheme's patron, to the first ever project in rural Suffolk.

John explains that Pub is the Hub's popularity has led to a vast expansion of the areas in which it operates, but funding continues to be a major issue.

"The exciting thing is that in the past 18 months we have moved from having four regional advisory groups to having eight," John adds. "But the thing I always have problems explaining to people is that basically it's all about people volunteering their time."

Advisory groups now exist in the East Midlands, Cumbria and the North West, Yorkshire and the North East, the South West, East Anglia, the South East and Wales, with Scotland soon to be added.

"There's been a lot of interest shown by Scottish Parliament and trade associations," says John.

But as the scope of the initiative widens so, unfortunately, does the bureaucracy.

Instead of campaigning for funds from just a handful of regional development agencies, the decisions have been handed down to around 60 rural community councils. John says: "That's a lot of local authorities you have to deal with for dribs and drabs of funding, so that's a huge admin burden on us."

Apart from John, the scheme has just one other full-time member of staff, secretary Sarah Burns.

Going urban​

Pub is the Hub also receives some funding from the drinks industry, including Diageo, major pubcos, the BII, the Campaign for Real Ale and the British Beer & Pub Association. But John is keen to maintain Pub is the Hub's independence so it does not end up affiliated to one particular company and can stay true to its roots.

This dedication to its roots could have been compromised by the scheme 'going urban earlier this year. But John explains that some urban areas are in need of help just as much.

"We have got poor areas in many urban situations that don't have access to services," he says. "The drive has come from the pub groups and regional development agencies, but now is the time to do it because I have a little bit of infrastructure in place."

Unfortunately, with the current economic climate it appears securing funding from all its various sources is proving tougher than ever for Pub is the Hub. But John argues that the partnership approach it takes is something the trade should be working on. "In a way that's what the whole industry is missing," he says.

"We are able to pull together the licensee, the local community, the local supplier, the pub owner and local authorities and trade associations. It means everybody is interested in that wider role of the community pub.

"We should be leading on this instead of saying 'oh sorry we've got a bit of a poor economic climate'."

And the idea of diversification is one that John believes has always been vital for the pub trade.

"The industry has always been very dynamic and has always responded to change," he says. "With diversification, you will get a better portrayal of the pub and pubcos can attract a better type of licensee, not the last throw of the dice like a failed footballer or a retired policeman."

But he freely admits that any licensee thinking of trying to incorporate a local service should be aware of the effort involved. "It's not for everybody - you have to be a hard-working, committed person to make it work," he says. Although, as he points out, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to doing a project.

"It's a bit like a religion in a way - people do their own little interpretation of it," he says.

So though it's an uphill struggle for Pub is the Hub, John remains committed to the cause and is hoping to continue with the same level of projects in the coming year. "We believe in it, that's why we keep battling on," he says.

And the pay-off? John says: "The reward is seeing how thrilled communities and licensees are with schemes and seeing the difference it makes to the perception of the pub."