Testimonials
Pub is the Hub is grateful for the support of many individuals and organisations. This section provides a selection of testimonials to the work of Pub is the Hub.
HRH Prince Charles, Patron of Pub is the Hub:
“Since I started the Pub is the Hub initiative four years ago, I have been overwhelmed by the determination of so many villages to keep their pub at the centre of their communities, despite all the pressures.
“But we have also learnt that there is an enormous demand for the sort of advice and help that we are offering and ... I could not be more grateful for the support shown by so many companies and trade associations for the initiative and who will now come together to create a national steering body and to establish "help groups" in various regions to provide local and speedy advice to those who need it.“
Diageo UK, Geoffrey Bush, Director of Corporate Citizenship:
“Pub is the Hub is shaped around the vital role that pubs can play in UK rural communities. The initiative focuses on working with individual communities to preserve their local services and distinctive character.
“Diageo is delighted to be both one of the founder sponsors and be part of the wider support across our industry and the voluntary sector for this timely project.”
Post Office, Sue Huggins, General Manager, Rural Post Offices:
“Post Office Ltd is delighted to be involved with the Pub is the Hub initiative. Any activity that helps support the sustainability of rural services has our vote.
“We have successfully partnered with a number of rural publicans, enabling both post office services and the pub to remain open in local communities. Pubs, like post offices, are often at the heart of village life and both are important to the viability of communities. We wish Pub is the Hub every success.”
Commission for Rural Communities, Margaret Clark, Director:
[a division of the Countryside Agency]
“We are delighted at the success of the Pub is the Hub initiative and to have helped to get it off the ground. It shows that local people and businesses do care about their communities and, working together, they can find practical solutions to maintaining local services.
“We would like to see this initiative go from strength to strength across the country.”
Enterprise Inns, Russell Burton, Head of Property:
“Pub is the Hub has forced us to think about things differently and how we position our business support in rural areas.”
Punch Taverns, Francis Patton, Customer Services Director:
“We are now committed to the future of community pubs and supporting ways in which the trade can be diversified in rural areas.”
John Longden, Campaign Director of Pub is the Hub:
“Following the initial help from Business in the Community and the Post Office with our web site, we are delighted to have this funding in place to start involving individuals, the pubs and drinks industry and regional agencies to assist on a wider range of pub diversification projects. It's all about everyone working together to support sustainable rural services.
“Demand for help to date with pubs in rural areas has far exceeded our capacity, with more than 60 individual requests a week, and this new development will mean much more can be achieved.”
BII, John McNamara, Chief Executive:
“The BII as the professional body for the whole licensed retail industry fully endorses the excellent work carried out by the Pub is the Hub campaign ... and is actively encouraging all of its members who operate in rural areas to take advantage of the excellent support, ideas and guidance that is on offer.”
Shepherd Neame, Jonathon Neame, Chief Executive:
“Pubs are a very important part of all local communities. They have survived and adapted over the centuries to the changing needs of customers and they will continue to survive for many years to come.
“Shepherd Neame is constantly looking for innovative ways to make our rural pubs remain relevant to their communities and has recently piloted new rural Post Office and Broadband initiatives. This initiative helps to highlight the difficulties faced by many rural pubs in remaining viable.”
St. Austell Brewery, James Staughton, Managing Director:
“As a Cornish Independent Family Brewer whose core business revolves around the tradiditonal English pub we are delighted to support the Pub is the Hub initiative.
“I would urge any village communities that are in danger of losing their only pub to seek advice through the Pub is the Hub initiative to explore ways in which such an integral part of their everyday lives could be saved and transformed into an asset that all the stakeholders can be proud to be associated with.”