Gloucestershire’s favourite celebrity chef, Tom Kerridge, hopes to change the fortunes of a Stroud pub in his new BBC Two series Saving Britain’s Pubs with Tom Kerridge.
The Prince Albert on Rodborough Hill was crowned Stroud CAMRA Pub of the Year in 2020 and is renowned for its live music and entertainment, but the tenant landlords found themselves struggling to make enough money and applied to the show for help.
The pub doesn’t serve food, so its profits come solely from beer sales, but due to a historic ‘beer tie’ agreement with the building owners, beer prices are already over the odds. Tom advises raising prices further, which could make The Prince Albert the most expensive pub in Stroud.
Speaking to the BBC, Tom said: ‘When a community loses its pub, it loses its soul. Pubs are a vital part of our history and culture, and communities with a decent pub at their heart are stronger for it because people from all walks of life mix and socialise there.
While many local services and shops are closing down, there are clear opportunities for reinventing what a pub can be. I want to work with locals to give them what they most want and need and create a place where they all feel welcome. That’s the foundation for building a pub that will survive. I need to prove that 21st century pubs can serve their communities and thrive.’
Watch the first episode of Saving Britain’s Pubs with Tom Kerridge on BBC Two on Thursday 12 November 2020 at 8pm.
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