Landlord finds formula for success
A landlord says he has discovered the financial elixir for long pub life – real ale.
Daniel Prince, of the Crown in Worthington, is celebrating after his Platt Lane hotel was named the borough's Pub of the Year by Wigan Camra group.
It is the second time it has won the award under the last five years of his ownership.
The hotel has also been awarded Camra's Pub of the Season title four times.
Judges were dazzled by the Crown's reputation for always having five cask beers in the cellar. This is set to rise to seven with the two extra hand pumps recently installed.
The hotel also stages at least five beer weekends through the year where up to 15 different brews are laid on.
The next, from October 9-12, is part of the Food and Drink Festival and will specialise in beers fermented within the Red Rose boundaries for an event called Lancashire Heroes.
His success compares with the gloom in the tied-house world with pubs closing all over the borough – the latest being The Alexandra in Whelley.
Daniel says that it is important for pubs to be able to sell a product not seen in off-licences.
He believes that a return to pubs selling local brews is the future for survivors.
He said: "When I started doing this it was a point of principle that I was going to have real ales on because it was something I personally believed in.
"But now it really does drive the business.
Click next page for more ...And, for us, it combines self indulgence with business sense which is a really nice way to be.
"It's amazing that now I can put a barrel on and think to myself, that will be all right for a couple of days, but then the next thing you know I'm searching for leaks because it has all gone.
"Real ale on draught is the only thing that I can sell that you can't buy in Tesco, it is the only thing that stands us apart from the shops.
"You may be able to get wines and spirits and bottled beer from them but people come to the Crown for a pint of proper cask.
"In fact, I have got a better range of bottle-conditioned beers, particularly the Belgian stuff, than many supermarket chains."
The Crown now has a partnership agreement with brewer Patsy Slevin's Prospect Brewery which sees at least one Prospect beer always on tap.
Daniel said: "I would like to have a brewery here because it would work and fit in with what we are about.
"Everything Patsy Slevin brews is brilliant. We say to customers, 'try this because it is brewed in Standish' and, when people try it, they are invariable soon raving about it and they are coming back for another one and another one."
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Thursday 02 September 2010
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