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05

Jul 2020

Last Updated: 04/07/2020
Business
Business

Vital role of district's village pubs revived

by Tim Flanagan

| 05 Jul, 2020
Comment

0

The village pub is often the centre of the community in rural parts of the Harrogate borough. Yesterday many re-opened and welcomed back their regulars who have missed a pint and a chat- including the Queen's Head at Kirkby Malzeard

kirkby-malzeard-4th-july-2020-pub-regular-mike-smith-has-pint-at-queens-head

Queen's Head regular Mike Smith has waited a long 105 days since the pandemic denied him his favourite pulled pint of draught bitter.

Mr Smith, who lives across the road from the Kirkby Malzeard pub that he and his wife Sally consider an essential part of local life, told The Stray Ferret:

"I've been looking forward to this day, having had my last pint of draught beer on the evening that the pub had to close down because of the coronavirus crisis."


He said that he has had cans of beer at home, but drinks in isolation don't come with the social interaction, friendly banter and ambience experienced in a pub bar.

Mr Smith pointed out:

"For us, the pub is a vital part of village life and if there wasn't one here, my wife and I would move elsewhere."


His words will come as reassurance to landlady Sue Maguire, her husband Paul (aka Rocky) and daughters Zanne and Lucie, who took over the Queen's Head in April 2017 and have been running the only pub in the village ever since.

Sign outside the Queen's Head Kirkby Malzeard

 

Having missed out on the extra trade that would have come with Mother's Day, Easter, VE Day, the late May Bank holiday, the Tour De Yorkshire and Father's Day, the family hopes that a staycation summer with people coming to nearby holiday homes and caravan sites, will bring in the business that they need to keep their heads above water.

Sue said:

"I cried my eyes out the evening that we were told we had to temporarily close because of coronavirus. We had only just taken a delivery and had a cellar full of casque beer and lager we thought we might never be able to sell."


Being enterprising however, they were able to draw the drink off into bottles and sell it in conjunction with the takeaway food service the family set up to help them survive through the lockdown period.




Read more:



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  • City's hairdressers have hectic Saturday






Zanne, said:

"To sell the bottled beers, we put a 'your pub needs you' shout out on FaceBook and fortunately that worked and helped us with sales,"


Social media will continue to play a role in raising awareness of the village pub and the takeaway service, with the option of home deliveries, will continue, enabling villagers who remain in self-isolation, to have a pub meal.

Sue added:

"We are doing all we can, but at the end of the day, we need people to come through the door to put money in our till and both regulars and new customers can be sure of a warm welcome."