Money talks, so let’s try to raise enough for pub (From Halstead Gazette)

Money talks, so let’s try to raise enough for pub

6:00pm Tuesday 19th June 2012 in North Essex By Ryan Jennings

A HISTORIAN is putting up £5,000 to help buy a pub which has been threatened with closure.

The British Grenadier, in Military Road, Colchester, has been put on the market by brewer Adnams because of falling profits.

Jess Jephcott said although a protest petition would be sent to Adnams, the only way to save the pub was to buy it.

“Talk is just talk, it doesn’t get us anywhere,” he said. “What we need is money, that is sadly the only thing that means something to the breweries.

“Money talks and unless we do something, it will go and, unfortunately, it is not the last pub this will happen to.”

The brewery hopes to sell the Grennie for £250,000, but it is thought the pub could be available for closer to £150,000 because of the amount of work which needs to be done on it.

Mr Jephcott claimed it would be much better off if it was bought by a group and run as a freehouse, which means it would have no tie to a particular brewery.

He also said if the pub was to reopen as a collective, it would be best to copy the town’s other Adnams pubs, the Hospital Arms and the Bricklayers, and sell food.

“You look at the other Adnams pubs in Colchester, which are faring much better, and that is partly because they sell meals,” he said.

“The Grennie hasn’t been able to do that and, ultimately, it is a real drawback for it.”

Simon Foulds, who runs the pub, said: “It is certainly an option that we need to explore.

“It’s not something I think people would go into without knowing the full facts, but I would never dismiss the idea.

“It is either that, or I will look into sorting out some finance myself.”The British Grenadier, in Military Road, Colchester, has been put on the market by brewer Adnams because of falling profits.

Jess Jephcott said although a protest petition would be sent to Adnams, the only way to save the pub was to buy it.

“Talk is just talk, it doesn’t get us anywhere,” he said. “What we need is money, that is sadly the only thing that means something to the breweries.

“Money talks and unless we do something, it will go and, unfortunately, it is not the last pub this will happen to.”

The brewery hopes to sell the Grennie for £250,000, but it is thought the pub could be available for closer to £150,000 because of the amount of work which needs to be done on it.

Mr Jephcott claimed it would be much better off if it was bought by a group and run as a freehouse, which means it would have no tie to a particular brewery.

He also said if the pub was to reopen as a collective, it would be best to copy the town’s other Adnams pubs, the Hospital Arms and the Bricklayers, and sell food.

“You look at the other Adnams pubs in Colchester, which are faring much better, and that is partly because they sell meals,” he said.

“The Grennie hasn’t been able to do that and, ultimately, it is a real drawback for it.”

Simon Foulds, who runs the pub, said: “It is certainly an option that we need to explore.

“It’s not something I think people would go into without knowing the full facts, but I would never dismiss the idea.

“It is either that, or I will look into sorting out some finance myself.”