Publican Local Focus: Cambridge - town of the gown
Cambridge is famous all over the world for its ancient university, but the city's rich history is no less evident in its pubs.
More than three-and-a-half million people visit Cambridge every year. This benefits licensees whose pubs fill with tourists eager to drink in English traditions after a day of punting along the river Cam.
The Eagle, now a Greene King pub, was the site where scientists James Watson and Francis Crick announced that they had discovered DNA. The ceiling in one part of the pub is covered with grafitti from World War II, left by RAF and US airmen who stood on each other's shoulders to burn their names into the wood with cigarette lighters.
Microbrewer Milton Brewery opened its fifth pub earlier this year and has reported a 33 per cent rise in sales since 2008.
But that's not to say the city is recession-proof.
Mario Grazawskri at the Anchor agrees that with so many good pubs, competition is rife, and says "lic-ensees must stay at the top of their game to survive".
Property in Cambridge is expensive and this has a knock-on effect on rent in pubs. This means that beer can be more expensive than in other parts of the country, making it more difficult for pubs to compete with cheap supermarket deals.
And although the city currently only houses one Wetherspoons pub, this is soon to change. The former Barfly has been sold to JD Wetherspoon, and is due to re-open next month. The prop-osal, despite creating 44 new jobs for the city, was met with protest from local residents. It will go ahead, but the complaints are testament to the fact that Cambridge residents are proud of their traditional pubs.
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Terri and Jethro Scotcher-Littlechild are the freeholders at the Cambridge Blue, which is a World Cup-free zone
How much will a pint cost me?
The average pint here costs £2.80. We sell spirits at £2.50 for 35ml, and a large Coke costs £1.50. We try to veer away from the mainstream for soft drinks, and we sell brands like Frobishers instead.
Do you do food?
We do food all day. We have on the basic pub food but no chips. The most popular is our chilli con carne, which costs £7.50. Everything is homemade apart from the desserts - you won't find anything in our freezer.
Who are your customers?
As we are always in the Good Pub Guide, we get a lot of beer enthusiasts. We are popular with the Cambridge CAMRA branch, and CAMRA groups from further away like Chelmsford have come to visit too.
What attracts people?
We are a traditional pub and we focus on good beer, good food, good conversation and we have one of the biggest beer gardens in the city, which is great when the weather's nice. We have three annual beer festivals, which we run with the local residents.
What are the issues affecting trade in Cambridge?
Local events can spread trade across the city. The industry has been hit by lots of red tape, and the smoking ban hasn't helped. The pub was a non-smoking one since before the ban, so we weren't really affected by that.
Mario Grazawskri is manager of the Greene King riverside pub the Anchor, which dates from 1864
How much will a pint cost me?
The price of a pint is about £3. We have cask beer available from £2.70 and our most expensive is Leffe at £4. House white and red wine costs £3.30, and a bottle costs £8.45.
Do you do food?
Yes, our range includes burgers, chips, salads and daily specials.
Who are your customers?
Because of the riverside location, many of our customers are tourists. The food and drink is good value so we often get students in. We have been showing the World Cup but keep the volume down unless it is an England match.
What attracts people?
Customer service is very important to us. Many people have different allergies so we try to cater for all different types of people. It is unique in that the pub looks out onto the river, and we have three different levels so there is something for everyone. We push as hard as we can to make sure the customer is happy.
What are the issues affecting trade in Cambridge?
Cambridge is a special place. It is a competitive city for pubs, so you have to work hard to meet demands. There is the issue of supermarkets charging ridiculous prices.
Pete Wiffin is licensee at the Live and Let Live. The pub is owned by pub company Burlison Inns, which has half-a-dozen pubs.
How much will a pint cost me?
A pint costs around £3 and we have seven ales available. We have a big range of Belgian beers. Spirits cost £2 for 25ml, and we have 69 different rums and 60 bourbons from all over the world.
Do you do food?
Yes, mainly sandwiches and hand-cut chips. It's not a very big pub and it's expensive to employ someone in the kitchen full-time. We are surrounded by restaurants, so people aren't far from food.
Who are your customers?
We get a mixed range of people, so it could be professors or students from the university. You can sit in the corner and read a book if you like, but our customers are friendly and you can sit and enjoy a chat with anyone here.
What attracts people?
The range and quality of our products. We are only tied on a small number of beers, so can be creative with other drinks. The rums and bourbons were found by sourcing them on the internet, so we've got unusual ones from all over the world. John from (the band) Hayseed Dixie lives around the corner, and he pops in and plays a few songs.
What are the issues affecting trade in Cambridge?
We haven't got a beer garden and the area around is quite residential, so it can be difficult for smokers. If it's sunny we might not get a big crowd.
Craig Bickley, licensee at the Free Press, a pub where mobile phones are banned
How much will a pint cost me?
A pint costs from £2.70 to £3.70, which is for Budvar. There are five ales on, two of which are changing guests. We have 10 different types of vodka and eight gins, with a measure costing £2.
Do you do food?
On Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays we have a deal on of three courses for £10. We use locally produced meat.
Who are your customers?
I have never come across a pub with such a mix of customers as we have. We get students and professors from the university and plenty of families too.
What attracts people?
It is a great pub. There's no music, no gambling machines and no distractions. The customers are amazing, the atmosphere is relaxed, and you can play board games.
What are the issues affecting trade in Cambridge?
There's nothing really different from the rest of the country. To be honest the council is fantastic. It's fine as long as you focus on providing good quality beer and a nice atmosphere.
The Publican also visited: The Eagle, The Kingston Arms, The Champion of the Thames, The Maypole and The Pickerel Inn
