HALL & WOODHOUSE — OLIVE BRANCH
&
other issues relating to community pubs
&
other issues relating to community pubs
I had occasion to write to the County Times on the 24th May, in response to letters published berating Hall & Woodhouse for changing the name of the historic Horsham pub the Green Dragon to The Olive Branch.
My letter was published in the 28th May edition together with a letter written by the respected Nigel Friswell of the Horsham Society.
Subsequently, a Crawley resident, Liz Bentley castigated me for calling the new gastric pub an Italian restaurant. Also David Hoare of H & W took issue with Nigel Friswell and myself stating ‘ — now seem out for Hall & Woodhouse blood.’
In order to address these false accusations aimed at CAMRA I wrote another letter on the 21st June to the County Times. The letter also addressed the wider issue of all pub closures. This was not published even after visiting their office personally, twice. This letter sums up the stance of this branch of CAMRA in respect of supporting local communities. The letter also conveys my assessment of the pub after visiting, again lost to the wider audience! Whilst in the County Times reception I passed a copy of the latest edition of the Sussex Drinker to them. This edition was addressing the closure of pubs by H & W. The impact of closures and the event of ‘gastric pubs’ continues to contribute to further loss of local communities. In order to progress positively, an invitation to a meeting was tendered to Mark Woodhouse and David Hoare.
Why this letter, addressing the accusations and attempting to put forward a balanced view was not published is unknown; the County Times does not communicate!
I note in subsequent editions of the County Times that considerable advertising is given to The Olive Branch and Wabi, the ‘new’ premises of the Horse & Groom (Punch Taverns).
Furthermore, in the County Times 22nd July almost a whole page is dedicated to the third West Sussex Community Chest Awards. Admirable, of course, but this occasion is wholly supported by H & W to the tune of £15K. There is no doubt of the help it gives, but consider that the awards are supported by partners the County Times Group, Spirit FM and The Fox Inn at Rudgwick (H & W).
We see that H & W are trying very hard to be accepted in Sussex after taking over the King & Barnes estate and support the Community Chest and Shelley’s Fountain in Horsham. However, one must also consider that H & W are closing community pubs to the detriment of the community; but this is the name of the game and the business that H & W are in. We may talk about viability of pubs, but again, viability is a moot point and should be judged on each individual case. (The Grapes at Pease Pottage, upon appeal, was judged, not proved unviable). Below are links including various initiatives to the Government on these matters. Hopefully, these will see pubs treated in the way that supports local communities. The local press should be vocal in their support of these initiatives.
We really must be presented with a balanced view! We see H & W enthusing about their commitment to the local community, and ably supported by the County Times, but on the other hand the very business they are in can take away that very community ethos. To this end I will reiterate that it is not H & W per se that we are fighting but any brewery or pubco that attempts to ‘lose’ a pub in the local community. Currently, in Sussex we have a number of Hall & Woodhouse pubs that are closed and deteriorating, either because of failed planning permission, or that they cannot be tenanted for some reason. We would like to see these pubs, that are no longer pertinent to the inventory of H & W, to be sold off to other prospective landlords. Pubs up for disinvestment should pose no competitive problems to the brewery, as they are evidently seen to be unviable...
Letters for reference - see
My letter was published in the 28th May edition together with a letter written by the respected Nigel Friswell of the Horsham Society.
Subsequently, a Crawley resident, Liz Bentley castigated me for calling the new gastric pub an Italian restaurant. Also David Hoare of H & W took issue with Nigel Friswell and myself stating ‘ — now seem out for Hall & Woodhouse blood.’
In order to address these false accusations aimed at CAMRA I wrote another letter on the 21st June to the County Times. The letter also addressed the wider issue of all pub closures. This was not published even after visiting their office personally, twice. This letter sums up the stance of this branch of CAMRA in respect of supporting local communities. The letter also conveys my assessment of the pub after visiting, again lost to the wider audience! Whilst in the County Times reception I passed a copy of the latest edition of the Sussex Drinker to them. This edition was addressing the closure of pubs by H & W. The impact of closures and the event of ‘gastric pubs’ continues to contribute to further loss of local communities. In order to progress positively, an invitation to a meeting was tendered to Mark Woodhouse and David Hoare.
Why this letter, addressing the accusations and attempting to put forward a balanced view was not published is unknown; the County Times does not communicate!
I note in subsequent editions of the County Times that considerable advertising is given to The Olive Branch and Wabi, the ‘new’ premises of the Horse & Groom (Punch Taverns).
Furthermore, in the County Times 22nd July almost a whole page is dedicated to the third West Sussex Community Chest Awards. Admirable, of course, but this occasion is wholly supported by H & W to the tune of £15K. There is no doubt of the help it gives, but consider that the awards are supported by partners the County Times Group, Spirit FM and The Fox Inn at Rudgwick (H & W).
We see that H & W are trying very hard to be accepted in Sussex after taking over the King & Barnes estate and support the Community Chest and Shelley’s Fountain in Horsham. However, one must also consider that H & W are closing community pubs to the detriment of the community; but this is the name of the game and the business that H & W are in. We may talk about viability of pubs, but again, viability is a moot point and should be judged on each individual case. (The Grapes at Pease Pottage, upon appeal, was judged, not proved unviable). Below are links including various initiatives to the Government on these matters. Hopefully, these will see pubs treated in the way that supports local communities. The local press should be vocal in their support of these initiatives.
We really must be presented with a balanced view! We see H & W enthusing about their commitment to the local community, and ably supported by the County Times, but on the other hand the very business they are in can take away that very community ethos. To this end I will reiterate that it is not H & W per se that we are fighting but any brewery or pubco that attempts to ‘lose’ a pub in the local community. Currently, in Sussex we have a number of Hall & Woodhouse pubs that are closed and deteriorating, either because of failed planning permission, or that they cannot be tenanted for some reason. We would like to see these pubs, that are no longer pertinent to the inventory of H & W, to be sold off to other prospective landlords. Pubs up for disinvestment should pose no competitive problems to the brewery, as they are evidently seen to be unviable...
Letters for reference - see
2 Sussex MP’s want to change the law concerning the closure and conversion of pubs - see
Help CAMRA support community pubs - see
Help CAMRA support community pubs - see