Herewith, some personal reflections on a 6th January visit to The Pickwick Inn:
It was around 6.45pm on a Friday night, a little over a month since the pub re-opened under Ashley’s brave stewardship and the place was just as everybody imagines a traditional village pub should be – noisy and throbbing, full of conversation and celebration! There were a couple of joyful, birthday groups in fancy dress with cakes full of sparklers. The bar area was crowded with standing drinkers but there was still space to eat at a table in the dining area (the gluten-free, beer-battered cod was a delight; lovely white flesh within a light, crispy case) and the bar service was efficient despite the crowd. I almost lost count of the number of familiar faces and friendly greetings encountered during the course of the evening! It seemed as though half the parish was out, happily determined to prove that there is still enormous social value in such a community watering hole, with everybody willing Ashley to succeed in his brilliant, hard-working efforts to rescue the pub from its recent dire state. If this visit was typical, there should be no worries about the pub’s long-term survival!
Posts tagged Pickwick Inn
The Pickwick Inn, January 2023
SAVE THE PICKWICK INN
The Pickwick Inn at StAnn’s Chapel has been closed since February 2022. Instead of standing as an important, gateway landmark to the parish, the pub is fast becoming a blot on the landscape rather than the important community asset that it once was. Whilst there has been some interest from several parties in rescuing the pub, the owners of the property have been less than forthcoming in their replies to any offers. Bigbury Parish Council now is considering applying to SHDC for an Asset of Community Value designation for this last remaining, easily accessible pub in our parish.
Anybody who wishes to help save the Pickwick as a pub rather than allowing its possible change of use to a housing development should send a brief email to: cllrswatts.bigburypc@gmail.com to include their name, contact details and the simple statement that ‘I would support retaining The Pickwick Inn as a public house and important community asset’
This item will be discussed at the next Parish Council meeting, starting at 7.30pm on 12 October in the Memorial Hall, StAnn’s Chapel.
Recent Comments