Coach and Horses, Draycott, Derbyshire

The Coach and Horses, and this project, are unusual in many ways.  Draycott is classed as a village but with a population of circa 3,500 it would not normally meet the criteria of rural.  However, when Pub is The Hub Advisor, Hugh Wilson, visited the pub and met Mark Gilliver and the community group who would play an integral part of the project , was convinced their ideas would work because of their detailed planning and commitment.

The project has involved using an area of the very large Coach and Horses car park to build raised beds in order to create a Community Allotment for the use of all groups in the village.  What has been achieved is inspirational with all ages and abilities involved.  Each raised bed has a delegated “user” from different groups in the village, as follows – Cubs and Brownies, child minders from the adjoining church, teenagers, grandparents and grandchildren and a higher raised bed for wheelchair gardeners.  On weekends vegetables are sold on the allotment and coffee and snacks are available.

The project cost was met partly by a Community Services Fund grant of £4,000 and the remainder being raised with a grant from Tesco of £3,000 and the balance raised at community events in the pub.  There were six local suppliers and the local council supplied the 15 tons of top soil.

There are so many positives about this project.  Six to seven years ago the Coach and Horses was closed.  Everyone now talks about the pub positively and its contribution as the hub of the community.  Their efforts have been rewarded with a Gold Medal in the RHS Pub Garden Competition and Draycott Community Group have won a Gold in the RHS Britain in Bloom competition.

Outcomes So Far:

1. Establishing the Coach and Horses as the hub of the village.
2. Inspirational allotment project used by over 200 people of all age groups and abilities.
3. Six local suppliers plus the Local Authority involved in the creation of the raised bed allotment.
4. Local and National awards from the RHS received by the pub and the Draycott Community Group.
5. It has provided and environment for all ages to meet regularly and build relationships within the village.

This is a great example of how £4000 of CSF grant can help to support a Licensee working with the community for the advantage of the long term future of the pub whilst creating something special for the community in which the pub plays an integral part.

Costs: