A chat with the new owner of the Barley Mow pub, Penn Common, Wolverhampton.

Express & Star

Transcript

00:00Hello, I'm James McMirovich and I'm here at the Barley Mall here on the edge of Penn Common.

00:05This pub has gone through a number of hands over the years and it's in the hands of people

00:10within the community now.

00:12This is the General Manager, Richard Wellington.

00:14So tell me a bit about the new management here.

00:17New management?

00:18So we've decided not too long ago that we were going to take this place on, leasehold,

00:23over from Punch Pubs.

00:24We've seen under previous management how standards have started to slip and we decided

00:29to take a proactive role and bring it back to how it used to be.

00:32Is that a case of just being customers over the years and seeing what the pub was like?

00:37Absolutely.

00:38So again, we're opening this weekend.

00:40We're bringing all of the old punters in and hopefully getting a lot of new trade.

00:44For you then, when you say the pub isn't what it used to be, what's the sort of standard

00:48you want to set here?

00:49The standard I want to see?

00:51Well, if we're going to talk about that, we'll take it way back.

00:53One of the reasons why I've decided to take on the General Manager role is that this was

00:57my father's regular pub.

00:58Oh, okay.

00:59You know, I came here from the ripe young age of two years old in my father's arms and

01:04I've met so many people over the years who've really adorned and cherished this place.

01:09So it's something about this place that has always been close to your heart then?

01:13Exactly.

01:13It's creating a fantastic sense of community and family.

01:17Where it is, obviously on the edge of the common, it's got a walk next to it, there's

01:21the neighbourhood just up the road.

01:22It's got potential to be a proper community pub, hasn't it?

01:24Exactly that.

01:25So we do have some events planned and they are being booked.

01:29We have regular strummer's nights here every other Monday and we're planning on having

01:33multiple beer festivals on over the summer.

01:35And what's been the sort of change you've seen in the pub over the years?

01:38I suppose without going to sort of deep into the details, but how do you think it's changed?

01:42I think that it's changed from... I've seen it change hands by people who've really loved

01:49running pubs and unfortunately people who love money, you see. Some people who've run

01:56this place haven't had the heart to do so, so we have every intention on changing that.

02:00And you're all members of the local community, so there's a more invested interest, isn't

02:05there?

02:05Exactly that. You invest in your local community, you look after your community and they will

02:09look after you.

02:10So how did it come about then that you were able to get hold of the pub?

02:13Well, it was actually our two major investors, Danielle and Mark, who had seen it only about

02:19six weeks ago, seeing that there was a tenancy available and they absolutely jumped at the

02:24chance.

02:25So obviously tonight is the dry run. Today is Friday, so it's the dry run tonight with

02:30friends and family. From the 17th of May, it's all systems go. So how are you feeling about

02:35it?

02:35I'm so excited. I cannot wait to show everyone how we've brought this place up and the quality

02:41that we're going to be providing.

02:42Make it the sort of pub that you'd want to drink in, basically.

02:44Exactly.

02:45And what is that sort of pub?

02:49That sort of pub, it holds customers at heart. It's the heart of real ale and it's to create

02:55a standard of community.

02:56And to keep the history of this pub because it's been here for a very long time as well.

02:59Exactly that. It is a heritage site and we intend to uphold those standards.

03:04Okay. Well, 18th of May, the Barley Mall becomes open for business to everyone in the community.

03:10Good luck to Richard and the team here and let's see what happens going forward.

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