The Fleece Inn is located in rural Lancashire, some 6 miles south of Lancaster and 20 miles north of Preston, on the edge of the Trough of Bowland – an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The Fleece Inn was purchased by the Worthington family, with a view to keeping it as an integral part of the village of Dolphinholme.
As part of the plan to redevelop the pub into a modern country inn, providing good food in an extended and modernised, premises with 9 beautifully styled rooms, they felt it was important to provide facilities for the local community.
Project Summary:
The local shop in the village had recently closed and so a shop to serve the local and surrounding communities was incorporated into a redevelopment of the pub. Pub is the Hub were consulted and provided advice throughout the development process of the pub, rooms and the shop.
All costs have been borne by the pub owners, who were keen to provide this service for the community alongside their new business. The shop opened in 2016 and now provides a wide range of goods from essentials to more unusual items, offers a parcel collect and drop off point and provides an outlet for many local suppliers from the Lancashire area, some of whom already service the pub’s kitchens.
Outcomes so far:
- The shop has been open for the last year and has been well received, with turnover slowly improving.
- It has added services like the parcel collect and individual products that have been requested by some of its customers.
- The shop is staffed by the team members from the pub which has recruited for the new business from the village and surrounding areas creating over 10 jobs.
Lessons to Learn:
- Creating local jobs.
- Local suppliers to the pub are also taking the opportunity to place products with the shop.
- Engaging with the local community means that the range of goods is what is wanted.
- Refurbishing the pub has increased both its appeal and its sustainability, supporting the community.
For more information telephone 01423 546165 or email enquiries@pubisthehub.org.uk