The Brockweir Inn is a traditional village pub serving a spread-out rural community in the lower Wye Valley. The village already has a successful community shop and cafe. Licensee Nicola Hambling was keen to adapt her small under-used function room to create a community facility which would be available for use by all locals and tourists rather than just by pub-goers. Thanks to support from Pub is The Hub’s Community Services Fund she has been able to achieve her aim.
Project Summary:
The aim was to create a comfortable community meeting room with facilities which would appeal to both pub-goers and non pub-goers, and to people of all ages. Fixed banquette seating was removed and replaced by custom-made book shelves in order to accommodate a book exchange scheme. The room was re-carpeted and a number of comfortable chairs acquired. Some traditional pub games such as bagatelle have been provided for use by youngsters. An existing wall-mounted large screen TV was left in place (but covered by a curtain) mainly for screening Six Nations matches etc
Parents using the pub have expressed their appreciation that there is somewhere safe to occupy their children that does not involve electronic games.
The book exchange has been well used (there are no local library facilities).The local Book Club use the room for their monthly meetings as do the Village News Committee. Other local societies have expressed interest. Local musicians hold a monthly jam session.
One of the targets of the new community room was older youngsters who lack comfortable local venues for socialising.
Best Practice Observations:
With a multipurpose community room it is important to make sure that it is always in a tidy presentable state ready for the next user.
Keep all furniture flexible and portable so that, when required, the room can still be used by the pub for commercial functions.
Project Costs:
Total cost c. £4,000 of which £2,600 was covered by a grant from PiTH’s Community Services Fund.
For more information telephone 01423 546165 or email enquiries@pubisthehub.org.uk