Changes to help absorb costs

There aren’t many things that make your eyes water. Chopping onions is one, the other, as we discovered this week, is filling up your car. £136 for a tank. Ouch!

We all know we’re facing the biggest cost of living squeeze since the 80s. In hospitality alone, a recent survey highlighted that 75% of operators are seriously concerned about the cost of energy and what impact this will have on their business. Another 45% have had to change their opening hours to maximise efficiency, a conclusion we have also reached.

We will be closing weekday lunchtimes but moving these hours to open an hour earlier in the evenings and staying open all day on Saturday and Sunday. This way we can reduce our overheads during our quietest periods but be open and available to meet demand the rest of the week.

From 6 July onwards, we will trial the following new opening hours:

Wednesday	5pm to 11pm	Food served 5 to 8pm
Thursday	5pm to 11pm	Food served 5 to 8pm
Friday	5pm to 12 midnight	Food served 5 to 8pm
Saturday	1pm to midnight	Food served 1 to 2.30pm & 5 to 8pm
Sunday	12.30pm to 7pm (can vary depending on trade)	Sunday roast served 1pm to 2.30pm

We will still close on Mondays and Tuesdays.

By making these changes we will be able to save costs and weather the coming months.

We are opting for this alongside some other changes we have already implemented to reduce waste and energy use:

• We are now taking pre-orders for our fresh fish offering and will only be putting it on the menu on Fridays and Saturdays. We will always try and have one or two options from our fishmonger on the menu over busy weekends, however, if you would like to guarantee a fish dish we are very happy to take a pre-order. We would need to know by closing time on Thursday evening if this is the case, as we buy fresh from the fishmonger on Friday mornings. Bearing in mind each trip is costing up to £2 just in fuel now, this will help us limit trips and waste.

• If you can, please do continue to book for food. Whilst we are more than happy to take walk-ins, booking really helps us plan.

• We cook from fresh and to order, which minimises waste. However, it does mean most of our mains will take on average 30 minutes to prepare. We will always try and let you know if the wait is likely to be any longer due to busy periods.

• We are working hard with our fabulous local suppliers to source ingredients and drinks that enable us to keep our prices reasonable whilst not compromising on taste. This will see us introduce a new British brewed lager this week and we are forever grateful to our butcher, fishmonger, veg supplier and ambient supplier, who are all local and doing everything they can to keep their produce affordable.

We will also continue to run our regular activities to help you enjoy an affordable meal or fun evening out.

Mid-week meal deals on Wednesdays

Our mid-week meal deals will continue on Wednesday evenings, with a selection of dishes for £10 or under. The selection changes each week, offering a choice of at least 4 dishes within the deal.

Saturday Out and About lunch club

Following on from our Out and About lunch clubs we ran on Wednesdays for 9 weeks, we will be offering a lunch menu on Saturdays to help you get out and about and connect with others. Listening to feedback from those who joined us on the Wednesdays, many were keen to be able to attend at the weekend as opposed to during the week. You will be able to choose from lighter bites such as filled rolls from £5 to a full lunchtime meal such as ham, egg and chips from £9.

Paws at the Pub

We run our monthly Paws at the Pub on Saturdays 1-3pm. All pooches are welcome, with their loving owners! The idea behind this is to offer a chance for you to meet other like-minded owners and fur-babies. It is also a great excuse for us to spend time with your gorgeous four-leggers! We will be organising talks from local pet experts in the coming months too. See our website for the next date and more information.

Monthly music bingo

We run a music bingo night on Saturdays from 9pm once a month. It’s just like normal bingo, but instead of numbers, we play clips of great songs and you cross off any that are on your card. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a music buff – we shout out the title of the song and artist as we go. If you get the pattern we’re after or full house, you shout bingo. That’s if you remember to when you’re singing along! Cash prizes up for grabs. £4 per game, we usually play two or three over the course of the night and the cash goes in the pot for the winnings!

Monthly pub quiz

Also on Saturday evenings, our monthly pub quiz is always a fun night! Four rounds, including a picture round, general knowledge, music round and then the game-changer: Our Survey Says round. Based on the Family Fortunes format, this one can completely alter the scores on the doors! £2 per person, with the pot going to the winning team. You can book in for a meal with us beforehand to make a night of it, or just come along before 9pm. Teams of up to 6 people.

Friendly darts night on Thirsty Thursdays

On Thursdays from 9pm we host our friendly darts night. Anyone is welcome, whether a seasoned player or complete beginner. The idea is to throw some sharp implements in the vague direction of the board and have plenty of fun and banter along the way!

That's all for now folks! Don't forget we also have our next brilliant burger and bands night coming up in just over a week's time.