Brighton pub finds way to protect visitors from the elements

The great British weather, however, appeared to miss the feel-good memo with bitterly cold temperatures and spells of rain putting pub-goers dedication to the test.

And the vast majority passed with flying colours, wrapping up warm to enjoy a tipple or two with friends and family.

Yet, many would readily admit, a bit of protection from the elements would not go amiss.

Fortunately for them, a community pub in Brighton is now offering just that.

The Bevy in Hillside has just unveiled a row of newly built wooden cabins ahead of its grand reopening today, giving patrons a plush drinking experience while sticking to the government guidelines surrounding hospitality venues.

The new wooden shelters at The Bevy pub in Brighton

A spokesman for the pub said: "We're really thrilled with the cabins - having covered seating outside will allow more local people to enjoy our community pub, particularly during the winter months and when the weather's bad, and most importantly they'll give families a Covid-secure space to sit in."

It has been a busy week for The Bevy, with the pub also making the final ten of the Community Pub Hero Awards, organised by PubAid and the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group.

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Nationwide, 115 pubs entered the award, with the majority nominated by their local MP. Entries were judged by a panel of industry experts and the overall Community Pub Hero will be announced later this spring.

The competition was created to recognise the incredible work done by pubs since the first Covid lockdown in March last year, with businesses going above and beyond to support their communities despite facing uncertainty themselves.

The new wooden shelters at The Bevy pub in Brighton

 

When lockdown was announced, the Bevy’s team of volunteers and staff decided they would cook and deliver hot meals three times a week to ensure that none of the attendees of their Dementia Cafe and other lunch clubs went hungry.

Delivering the Bevy Meals on Wheels provided dinner, a friendly face and a socially distanced chat to those who needed it most during an immensely challenging time.

The pub team also worked with schools, churches, charities and community groups to identify those who needed support getting hot food and with FareShare, to use ingredients that would otherwise have gone to landfill.

And staff are currently working with a local college for people with learning disabilities so that the Meals on Wheels service can provide crucial work experience during the pandemic.

The new wooden shelters at The Bevy pub in Brighton

 

To date, the team has served more than 8,000 meals to vulnerable people across East Brighton.

PubAid co-founder Des O’Flanagan said: "Our heartfelt congratulations go to the Bevy. Landlords, landladies and their teams have offered invaluable support for communities during the pandemic, whether offering vital supplies for residents, cooking hot meals for the elderly or countering social isolation through online quizzes or chats.

"Choosing the ten finalists was a real challenge for the judges, as every pub who entered had a strong story to tell.

"Those who have reached the shortlist should be very proud of their achievement."