Community

Marion Hicks (manager) and John and Christine Hibbert from the Emmbrook Inn
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Wokingham Times Pub of the Year competition

By Laura Herbert
February 06, 2013

A good pub is at the heart of any community, but in recent years many British boozers have pulled pints for the last time.

This is why The Wokingham Times is giving readers the opportunity to support their locals by taking part in our Pub of the Year competition.

Pub of the Year: Spotlight on the Emmbrook Inn

Over the coming weeks a different pub from around the Wokingham borough will feature, along with voting forms for readers to vote for the best boozer.

John Hibbert, landlord of The Emmbrook Inn and chairman of Wokingham’s Pub and Drug Watch, said: “This will do us all good because we need something like this to bring people in and get them coming to pubs more often.

“Everyone is struggling at the moment and you can tell that by the amount of pubs that have closed – something like Pub of the Year will help raise awareness of pubs with Wokingham people with details of what we are doing.

“It is amazing what does go on in pubs, but we need people to support their local to make sure they don’t close.”

The New Rose pub, which served its last pint in 2010, is now home to popular chain Nando’s and Café Rouge, in Market Place, after the building was split.

Last year The Three Brewers pub, in Barkham Road, was sold by Punch Taverns for £227,500 and a planning application to build homes on the site was submitted in March last year.

Mr Hibbert added: “I don’t think people realise how important pubs are to the local area. The pubs that are surviving are the ones that look after their customers. I have got some really good regulars coming here.”

Figures from CAMRA show there has been a 30 per cent collapse in the volume of beer sold in pubs in the last six years with more than 7,000 pubs closing for good in that time.

Phil Gill, campaigns officer for Reading CAMRA, said: “The economy isn’t helping but there are a lot of other things affecting the pub trade.

“There’s the tax regime on alcohol, known as the beer duty escalator, where the Government is committed to above-inflation increases year on year.

“A large part of it is the pub companies, the large companies who own pubs and treat them as property investments rather than businesses which serve the community.

“Their sole concern is to get as much money as soon as possible out of the place so they will put in place very high rents and put restrictions on where pubs can buy their beer, which inflates the prices. If a licensee is paying high rents and high prices for the beer, they have to pass that on to the consumer.”

Over the coming weeks a voting form will be printed in The Times and you can let us when and where you visit your local pub by using #wokypubs on Twitter.

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Most recent user comments 7 of 7

You're spot on Jonny on all counts.

We probably do better than most other places around the UK; it's been very sad to see some of the places I've lived in have the majority of pubs change hands regularly or be taken over by a chain or similar and offer more of the same. Wokingham's most successful places have differentiated - the Redan and the Ship for example. I haven't been to the Dukes Head since under new management - though it looks much improved at first glance. The Tavern has great friendly warm feeling to the place and its mini festivals are a great idea - must go to the next!

alex_f, Wokingham
06/02/2013 at 22:26

The Three Brewers pub was sold because the building was condemned.

The real statistic here is how many pubs change hands each month/year - the Duke's Head being a prime example over the last five years. Regularly changing hands is a sign a pub is failing to attract enough custom.

I believe there just needs to be more differentiation between pubs so that each carves a niche - whether it be more varied beer, good wine list, sport, food or pub games etc.

Take the Tavern - it has an excellent beer offering and wine list and I rarely see it empty. The food's not bad and at least has the impression that it's not all microwaved or deep fried.

I think landlords are so up against the pub cos that they're frightened of taking risks to try new things.

Jonnyv
06/02/2013 at 18:00

I agree with Tru Blue and Gromit, I wouldn't want screaming kids whilst having a drink - however Mark Savill does still make a point.

Like other businesses who are struggling for different reasons, some may need to look at becoming more unique or being that bit extra special - or even just going back to their roots.

I'm not talking about Wokingham specifically, but alot of pubs up and down the country have moved far away from the 'heart of the community' pub ideal which people think of. A quality range of local beers, a pool table or dartboard, friendly staff and locals, and good comfort grub is all too difficult to find these days.

Pubs which actually still make good old homemade food and provide local, unique or interesting beers are packed on evenings, and the pubs with the usual couple of commercial lagers / beers and a chain menu of £3.99 microwave meals are wondering why they are empty.

alex_f, Wokingham
06/02/2013 at 16:28

You are spot on Gromit,

I myself have 2 kids & regularly seek refuge from them - in the pub!

Tru Blue NoMore, WOKINGHAM
06/02/2013 at 12:10

I don't want to go to the pub and have to put up with unruly and poorly disciplined kids - Why on earth would a kid want to go to the pub? There are plenty of parks and suchlike for kids - Pubs are for adults. People choose to have kids, those of us without don't want to be subject to other peoples' kids.

Gromit, Wokingham
06/02/2013 at 11:07

If pubs want to attract more business, why don’t they diversify and try to appeal to a greater variety of cliental. E.g. craft beer bar, top quality Gastro pub, family friendly establishment.

I can’t think of one pub within Wokingham town which has a child friendly beer garden with children’s play equipment and this is supposed to be the number one place in the UK for families.