I have an affection for the Robin Hood public house in Sherwood, Tunbridge Wells. It was my first 'local' when I moved to Tunbridge Wells in 1990. There are reports that it is to close on 20th August. Will this be a temporary closure or is the land to be sold to a housing developer?
What are the alternative venues? Not the High Brooms Hotel, nor the old community centre, nor the Greyhound, all have gone, or soon will be.
The Robin Hood has had a chequered career. At times the management has been very poor, at others excellent. But what now? Pubs are part of the fabric of the community - as witness the excitement at the re-opening of the pub in Bidborough. The Robin Hood has an excellent function room which could be used for a variety of community activities, there is a good car park and a large outside area. There are some very keen community activists in Sherwood. Why not look into making the Robin Hood a community pub, possibly run as a co-operative?
Many pubs are closing at an outstanding rate, but those that are succeeding are those run as a community Pub. You all buy shares into the project, annual dividends are paid to the shareholders from the profits. Cntrol must stay with the landlord and up to 4 elected members. What is does do, is make the shareholders actually go to the pub, as a venue of choice. That's all it needs... customers. Since it's last redevelopment it really is a nice place to go. It's old reputation does not stand up now. It is a good place to go. I'm not local, but work local, but if local interested parties can get together it could be a great success.
ReplyDeleteI agree Mick.
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