Pubs Minister Marcus Jones popped into the Star Inn at Vogue near Redruth to look at the pub’s library on a recent trip to Cornwall.
Opened in December 2013 by Punch Taverns licensees Mark and Rachel Graham with support from Pub is The Hub and Cornwall Council’s library services, the library has been a valuable community asset to the large adjacent village attracting many regular library members as well as pub goers who fancy a quiet read with their pint. In addition, the pub is also home to a hairdressing salon six days a week ensuring regular footfall.
The Minister was impressed with the partnership arrangement between Pub is The Hub and Cornwall Council whereby the former finds rural pubs with space to spare and the latter provides the micro-library service. Both partners fund each project 50:50 for less than £1,000 per pub.
Each of the eleven micro-libraries in pubs in Cornwall are stocked with the most popular titles across a range of categories and are rotated by a fully-trained librarian on shelf every fortnight with new books. Library members for each site are able to place their orders online and their books are available for collection after the next visit. The computer terminal that is available at every micro-library is connected to a series of additional online library services.
The Minister said: “It is so encouraging to see what a good licensees like Mark and Rachel can achieve in supporting local services in the community and delighted that Cornwall Council are enjoying the benefit of their enthusiasm.
“Equally, I am amazed at the variety of different services that Pub is The Hub has encouraged over recent years and congratulate John Longden and his small team for the work they are doing with pubs all over the country.”
Pub is The Hub has been able to offer small grants to licensees to support diversification projects since 2013 when it was able to launch the Community Services Fund with the financial backing of Diageo plc and the Department for Communities and Local Government. Since then it has funded projects such as school dinners, farm shops, post offices, community centres, libraries, IT support and Wifi access.
The photograph shows Mark Graham, licensee of the Star Inn, Vogue with Marcus Jones, Pubs Minister and John Longden, Chief Executive of Pub is The Hub