The Park Tavern in Macclesfield, Cheshire seized the opportunity to show British political comedy ‘In the Loop’ on its cinema screen before switching to live coverage of the election results on Thursday 7 May.
“We thought we could jump on the mood of the country and show something live and interesting,” publican Tim Jones, who secured a Temporary Events Notice licence so that the venue could stay open until 5am, said.
“The night went very well. We flicked between Channel 4 and BBC coverage, people were booing and cheering. There were about 17 people [watching] and by 5am there was a hard core of five left. We were selling drinks a lot later, so we made a decent amount. There were quite a few new people we hadn’t seen before so hopefully that will translate [into sales in the future].”
Brett Sanders, manager of The Golden Fleece, Chelmsford in Duke Street, aired the election results on five TV screens at his pub until 2am, following the pub’s traditional Thursday night quiz.
“Not many were specifically out to see the election but it captured people’s attention when the early exit polls came up,” Sanders told the Publican’s Morning Advertiser.
“It stayed fairly busy after the quiz. There were about 45 people still left - normally it’s about 10 or 15. More people stayed around, it got people talking.”
Elsewhere, The White Horse Inn [known as the pub with no name], in Priors Dean, East Hampshire opened its doors as a polling station.
“The [ballot boxes] used to be in a kitchen of a caravan,” licensee Paul Stuart declared. “I think people got fed up. I suggested the pub, it seemed sensible as we’re the centre of the community. We’ve been doing it for a few years.”
Voters also flocked to village pub The Bush Inn in Tallentire, Cumbria which operated as a polling station for the eighth year in a row.
“I think it was 86% turn out – it was the best one it’s been,” owner Monica Seavers said. “It’s usually around about 61%.”