Community focused pub features on Countryfile Christmas special
The Bird in Bush at Elsdon - situated on the outskirts of the county’s national park - will feature in the episode of the BBC One programme on Sunday, 23 December.
Presented by Matt Baker, the television series documents the communities and sentiments at the heart of the British countryside.
The episode will see Baker visit the village pub and hear from licensees Katie and Stephen about how the pub “has been brought back to life over the past couple of years”.
The team is shown amid preparations for a Christmas party for the community, including brewing a new Damson Porter and singing carols with Pub is the Hub chief executive John Longden.
Community hub
Two grants have helped the site to introduce an adjacent microbrewery, mini library and digital hub.
Pub is the Hub gave the pub a community services fund grant for the library and digital hub in the bar.
A £25,000 grant through the Prince’s Countryside Fund and the People’s Postcode Lottery was also given to the licensees. The money was invested in a new kitchen and bunkhouse at the pub.
John Longden said: “This has been a wonderful chance to showcase the amazing amount of effort and investment that Katie and Stephen have put into this pub.
“Their whole business revolves around their community and they are an inspiration as well as an important focal point for the area.”
The episode will be broadcast at 5.20pm.
