Leicestershire Pub’s New Community Meeting Room Helps Bring Locals Together
A Leicestershire pub has further established itself as an invaluable community hub, by opening a new meeting room designed to help bring local people together.
Since being bought after seven years of closure, by publicans Michelle Bates and Russell Boam, The New Storey in Osgathorpe, near Loughborough, has reinvented itself as a warm, welcoming space for locals of all ages from the village and surrounding areas.
The pub, which was previously known as The Storey Arms, had played a pivotal role in village life since 1842, and it was the local community that inspired the couple to buy the pub and restore it to its former glory. In recognition of its past, but to signal a new era for the pub, the couple updated its name to The New Storey.
Since reopening the pub, first time publicans Michelle and Russell, who come from social care and joinery backgrounds respectively, have helped to bring local people together through activities including regular karaoke nights, pub quizzes and street food trader nights.
The new community room has been named The Orchard Suite after the late Ian Orchard who was a pillar of the Osgathorpe community for many years and whose support for local people included organising many charity events at the pub. The Orchard Suite is hosting a range of community activities, including parish council meetings, craft activities (including flower arranging and wreath making) and providing a meeting place for walking groups to socialise after their exercise.
Publican Russell, who is a joiner, helped construct the timber framed room, which was built on the site of an old shed at the back of the pub. It has been set up so it can be used during times when the pub is closed too with its own tea and coffee making facilities and access to toilets.
Expert guidance and access to a grant from Pub is The Hub, supported by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), has meant the pub has been able to expand its offer to support local residents and community groups.
The community room project and a community craft box have been supported by the DBT as part of its Hospitality Support Fund, which aims to strengthen rural and remote communities by helping pubs diversify and remain sustainable community assets.
Publican Michelle Bates said: “Since we reopened the pub last year it’s been wonderful to see it help bring people in the village together and make new connections. Our wonderful new community room will build on this further and help connect people around shared interests, with activities giving many people the confidence to come along and join in. It’s already proving to be an invaluable social hub for villagers of all ages.”
She added: “There’s been great excitement in the village around the community room opening and it has inspired many new groups to start up too which is brilliant to see.”
A community craft box has also been provided to the pub by Pub is The Hub which will be used for self-led craft activities in the community room.
Pub is The Hub regional advisor Nigel Williams added: “Publicans Russell and Michelle have done a wonderful job in bringing the pub back to the village and it is proving invaluable in helping to keep people in this rural community connected. It’s a shining example of what a great rural pub can be and this new community room will help strengthen connections further and positively support the wellbeing of local people.”
Kate Dearden, Minister Employment Rights and Consumer Protection, said: “Rural pubs like the New Storey are vital to their communities. Whether it’s by creating jobs or providing locals, like those in Osgathorpe with places to come together and socialise.
“This is exactly why we are working to secure the future of rural pubs with our Hospitality Support Fund. As of 1 April, every pub is now also getting 15% off its new business rates bill on top of the £4.3bn support package announced at Budget.”