From the podcast · Episode 01

Community pubs still matter.

Not just because they sell a pint. Because they bring people together.

Notes from my conversation with Kelly at The Ebberley Arms in Barnstaple. The first episode of my new podcast about the pub trade.

Andy Miller 4 min read

Not just because they show the football, host the quiz, run the skittles, or give people somewhere to go on a wet Tuesday afternoon.

They matter because they bring people together. Somewhere people feel safe. Somewhere people make friends. Somewhere someone can walk in on their own and, before long, feel part of something.

Episode 01

Kelly & Phil, The Ebberley Arms, Barnstaple

Watch now

The full conversation with Kelly and Phil at The Ebberley Arms. Honest, funny, blunt in places, and full of heart.

What came through

A proper pub is so much more than a business.

I sat down with Kelly at The Ebberley Arms for the first episode of my new podcast about the pub trade. And what came through loud and clear is that running a pub is not what most people on the outside think it is.

Because behind the bar, there is a lot the public never sees.

The pressures behind the bar

  • VAT
  • Energy bills
  • Stock
  • Sky
  • Repairs
  • Rising costs
  • The pressure of keeping the doors open

Running a pub is not just a job. It is a way of life.

Kelly

The Ebberley Arms, Barnstaple

Why this matters

If you care about proper pubs, support your local.

Because once pubs like this disappear, they are very hard to replace.

Run a pub? Let's talk.

If you're a publican wrestling with tills, card machines, or rising costs, I'll go through your setup and tell you straight what I'd change.

A conversation costs nothing.

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