Pub weathers ups and downs of year
SAVED INN – THEN CAME COVID-19
THIS year has proved a bittersweet one for the people behind the Gun at Ridsdale pub in Northumberland.
First, they successfully raised £240,000 thanks to fundraising appeal to turn it into a community hub, in which Ann Cleeves, author of the Vera novels, played a part.
After a huge refurbishment effort it opened it doors a couple of months back, only for them to close again during to lockdown restrictions due to the coronavirus.
As we come out of the second lockdown, the country has entered the new tier system which controversially sees the Gun at Ridsdale, located in a remote rural area, finding itself in the toughest tier three category.
John Bassett, chair of the working group behind the campaign, does acknowledge the reasoning behind the decision why his area is in tier three.
He said: “We’re in tier three not because of the number of people in the area that have got the virus but because of the number of hospitals.”
John, 75, who has lived in Ridsdale for 34 years, is originally from
Kent and still has family back there. He says their experience of the apparent anomalies of the new tier system are equally as drastic.
He said infection rates in places like Tunbridge Wells are around 77 per 100,000 head of population, much lower than the average in London, but the county is in tier three because in other areas of Kent the rate is much higher.
Despite this, John politely admits the tier two grading of London “does seem rather difficult to understand”. Looking back on an eventful year, he said: “We did open up (the pub) and then close down about three of four weeks ago. We’re carrying on doing takeaways for local people. Unfortunately we don’t make any money from takeaways once you factor everything in. It’s not cost effective but we’re determined to provide a service that otherwise wouldn’t be there.”
It’s thanks to the tenacity and farsightedness of locals like John there is any service at all.
Over recent years its post office, local shop, garage and even village hall closed. Recognising the worth of the Gun Inn as the remaining social hub, villagers successfully applied in 2016 to have it listed as an “Asset of Community Value”.
It meant that when in the middle of 2019 the owners of the pub notified of their intention to sell up, locals had the right to bid for it if they so wished and then have six months to raise the cash.
They managed to raised £240,000 through a £500 a share offer, donations from as far afield as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, America and Taiwan as well as grants. Ann Cleeves, author of the books on which the Vera series are based which had filmed at the old Gun Inn in 2016, gave it a plug which boosted donations.
For now, as they own the building, the future is safe. As well as providing the takeaway service, there is still refurbishment work to do.
“We have shareholders to answer to,” said John. “I feel very sorry for pubs that owned by tenants who have so many bills to pay. OK, we still have to pay utilities but we own the building. It doesn’t mean we can go indefinitely like this but we’re using the opportunity to carry on refurbishing work to be ready when we can open again.”