The Lord Lyon pub at Stockcross near Newbury has received a £100,000 boost thanks to owners Arkell’s Brewery, which has just completed a total refurbishment of the pub’s five letting rooms.
Investment in The Lord Lyon goes against the trend many pubs and pub-owners are following to reduce spending on maintenance and improvements in order to cut costs.
However, the Wiltshire Brewery feels this is a shortsighted attitude. Director George Arkell, said: “Despite a tough economy, especially for the licensed trade, The Lord Lyon is trading very well so it made sense to invest in the pub and totally refurbishing the old letting rooms back into use by installing new plumbing and heating, and redecorating them throughout. It’s a sound investment in this thriving pub and provides another revenue stream for the landlord, Mark Genders.”
The brewery has worked closely with Mark on the project, who has also invested his own money.
Earlier this year West Berks CAMRA voted the Lord Lyon its Community Pub of the Year and Mark received a second Certificate of Excellence from Cask Marque for the quality of his real ale.
“The Lord Lyon is a great pub in a village that supports us and wants the pub to succeed,” said Mark, who took over behind the bar less than two years’ ago and has been instrumental in its current success. “Arkell’s rolling programme of redecoration and refurbishment of the pub has meant that it’s in very good shape inside and out.”
The pub’s new letting rooms are now open.