Farmer’s Arms, St Merryn, Nr Padstow

Dan and Lisa have been at this award winning pub for around three years. The pub does have a summer season of holiday visitors, but it also has a very good local community it serves. Positioned on the main crossroads of the village it is a hub that local people know.

Dan and Lisa had noticed the lack of playing facilities in the area. With some space at the rear of the pub they were determined to create a safe and fun area for local children.

Having met Pub is The Hub’s local advisor, Reg Clarke at a hospitality exhibition, the couple were inspired to apply for a grant to kick-start their plans from the organisation’s unique-to-pubs Community Services Fund. Then the pub’s owners St Austell Brewery contributed some further funding to add to Dan and Lisa’s own investment.

Project Summary:

To create a play area on the new decking which was built at the back of the pub in a section of the car park the has been fenced off for complete safety. To do this a dustbin refuse area was relocated to the opposite side of the car park.

The result is an enclosed state-of-the-art play castle activity centre, complete with rope bridge, scramble board and tunnel providing hours of play for children.

Outcomes so far:

In the summer the local children join the many visitors in enjoying any of the seven local beaches nearby. However, in the out-of-season periods, there’s no-where locally for village children to play after school.

So now, the local younger children can use the play area under super vision at any time in safety.

This is a service the local community have asked for in the past and now thanks to all involved working together they have a fabulous play area at the local pub.

Lessons to Learn:

Even though the pub is busy all year round the licensees gave their time and listened to the local community. This project speaks volumes of what can be achieved if people and companies work together towards a goal.