I put Seven Seas’ ‘warm pub’ initiative to the test
THE Seven Seas Inn in Grimsby recently said it was opening its doors to anyone who who might be struggling to heat their home this winter due to the impact of the cost of living crisis. I decided to find out if this true or a simple publicity stunt.
The pub insisted that there was no need to buy a drink as it is dedicated to becoming a hub for the local Scartho community.
As a former bartender, I know it’s common practice to try to persuade people to buy drinks so I wanted to put this to the test.
I went into the pub on a cold and damp day with a flask full off coffee to see if anyone would mind or if I would be coerced into buying something. To my delight, I received a warm welcome and even had a lovely chat with some of the regulars.
The local wasn’t overly busy as it was just after lunchtime, so I ended up sitting at a table with my coffee.
Just a few minutes after sitting down, landlady Tracy Skitt walked past and greeted me and we even began speaking about how she and her husband moved from Yorkshire to take on the pub.
Mrs Skitt eventually went back behind the bar to serve a few regular customers so I decided to join them as I started to feel a little lonely on my own. Even with my own flask on the bar, no one batted an eyelid and no judgement was thrown my way at all. I actually ended up having a lovely conversation with one man about his recent holiday to Benidorm as he insisted that the ITV show did the Spanish holiday destination no justice. He’s planning on going back in the next few weeks as he loves it over there. Ultimately, the Seven Seas Inn promises a warm atmosphere where you can have a chat with anyone.
They delivered exactly that, the whole environment transported me back to my old bartender days where I’d spend hours talking to some of the regulars and I loved every second of it. Mix in live Sky Sports and good music in the background and you have an amazing combination.
It’s clear that everyone is welcome at this local, no matter what their financial position in this tough economic climate.