Last night I went out for a drink in what has always been the closest local pub to my home – The Smith’s Arms. It’s a sad place these days, but it has managed to hold on while the number of pubs in the UK has dramatically fallen. It is now being run by Bob Jacques, someone of my own age who I have known since I was quite young.
But I fear that the Smith’s Arms is not long for this world. Last night when we went in, we were the first customers in the Lounge bar and they had to turn the lights on for us. There were only 3 or 4 people in the other side, the Public Bar (for those Americans who don’t appreciate the difference - many English pubs have two areas – a Public Bar that is pretty basic and is definitely the workingman’s domain and a Lounge Bar that is slightly more salubrious and a more comfortable environment). One thing that doesn’t help with the Smith's Arms' business is the fact that Bob consistently serves pints that are short of the full measure. All glasses are marked with a pint mark and the metered pumps seem to serve up just a little less than a pint. That can’t be a wise move for a business that relies on repeat business from the local community.
The good news about the pubs in Staveley is that one of them, The Speedwell Inn, has been taken over by someone who brews his own beer on the premises and he does a good job of it. His business, Townes Brewery, seems to be doing well and he consistently wins awards for his beer from CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) folks.
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