With funding from the Community Services Fund, Pub is The Hub, the Royal Standard in Gwinear near Hayle in West Cornwall has opened a community playground in its garden.
Licensees, Wayne and Nicola Berry decided to utilise their huge pub garden with an adventure-style playground for the children in the local area. The pub already boasts a huge pub teams following from local residents with two football teams, two pool teams, five darts teams and a Euchre (Cornish card game) team so it seemed only fitting to devote some time and space to children.
With support from Pub is The Hub and local advisor, Reg Clarke, the Berrys have managed to realise their idea with a £1,500 grant from the Community Services Fund to create an adventure assault course play area with a bark floor.
Regular users of the playground will include the local Busy Bodies playgroup as well as children who live in Gwinear and customers’ children. Wayne Berry is keen to ensure that the Royal Standard and its wonderful garden are available to everyone and added: “Having two children ourselves, we know that they need lots of fresh air and activity in a safe and controlled environment. We’re just so pleased with the support we have had from Reg and Pub is The Hub in getting this project off the ground.”
Reg Clarke, regional advisor for Pub is The Hub added: “Wayne and Nicola have already done a tremendous job in their pubs placing themselves at the heart of their community with the many team games played from the pub. We were delighted to grant them both a modest grant to open the play area will continue to offer support and advice where we can.”
Pub is The Hub’s Community Services Fund was established with funding from the government and the drinks manufacturer Diageo PLC in April 2013 to help UK pubs to diversify into new services provision for their own communities. In launching the fund, Pub is The Hub recognised that good licensees today can work with the public, private and voluntary sector to improve the local economy.