Save the Village pub

Hi all.

My name is Rachel and I am the current Landlady of the Farmers Boy in Brickendon in Hertford. This is a managed house on behalf of a large pub company and I have been here for a year now. Within days of arriving at the pub, I realised what a vital asset for the local community this pub was and how it acted as a hub for the local area. It is a loved pub with quite a challenging history but over the last year, I have worked really hard to build a great business with the correct balance of a 'destination' pub for food but keeping the essence of the pub as somewhere people can come and relax, meet friends, neighbour's and colleagues, have fun, sing and dance, cry over lost loved ones and rejoice in the new birth of live both in human form and animals, knitting groups, quiz nights, charity tractor rides, open mics, live music, motor bike and car meets, staging post for cycle competitions, hosting the local shoot are among the many hats that through me the pub has worn over the last year.

I have made the pub my home whilst also making it a hub for others however 2 weeks ago I was given bad news. The company has decided to return the pub to the tenancy branch of the business which means in essence that i will prob lose my job as will some of my team who wont tupe across however more importantly, the story and hats that this pub has told and worn since January 2023 will come tot he end without the right tenant.

From what the locals both villagers and wider a field have told me, that i am the only tenant that they can foresee continuing all the hard work working closely with the local community and building a safe welcoming pub for all to enjoy and as much as I am embarrassed by the outpouring of love, I secretly feel very privileged.

What makes me the right tenant, who knows but the love I have built for this pub and local area, the commitment to doing the right thing, the old school hospitality that I have learnt over decades of this business and my genuine love for customer service helps I think.

I was not planning on having to take on a large financial risk this year as I am most definitely not a risk taker however I feel compelled to do my best for this pub and my customers and through this fundraising , maybe I can raise enough money to reduce the risk.

By donating, you will help to keep this old school village pub to grow and develop and maybe even become much more 'old schoolie' with regular live music and events, fresh wholesome food, brilliant drinkable drink and of course that old style banter and friendship.

Here's the crucial bits, I don't think anyone should get something for nothing so for donations received you will receive tokens to spend when we reopen under my name.

Thank you all so much and watch this space for some updates