News and events
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8 March 10 OPEN HOUSE EVENT IN WOKINGHAM - TUESDAY 23RD MARCH Close
OPEN HOUSE EVENT IN WOKINGHAM - TUESDAY 23RD MARCH
Come along to our Open House Day on Tuesday March 23rd to view the Dukes Head, a delightful town centre pub with 5 en suite letting rooms.
The event will take place at the Dukes Head, 56 Denmark St, Wokingham, Berks, RG40 2BQ.
To book a viewing time, please call Sue Crockett on 01491 570214 or email suecrockett@brakspear.co.uk. Times are available between 10.30am and 3.30pm.
As well as finding out about the Dukes Head, details on our other properties to let will be available. Come along and talk to one of our Business Development Managers about running a pub with Brakspear.
For more information on the Dukes Head, please click here.
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3 March 10 Heart machine for pub at heart of community Open
Heart machine for pub at heart of community
Many pubs claim to be at the heart of their local community, but The Chequers Inn, a Brakspear pub in Fingest, Buckinghamshire, could one day be restoring local heartbeats, thanks to the defibrillator recently installed on the side of the pub.
The defibrillator, which can help to save the lives of heart attack victims, was bought by the local Parish Council. The Chequers was the obvious place to site it, as tenant Ray Connelly explains, "There's no village hall in Fingest so the pub has become the hub of the community and we're happy to have the defibrillator here. Thankfully, we've not had to use it yet but everyone knows it's here and we test it every week to make sure it's working properly."
Ray and co-tenant Christian Taubert have made themselves indispensable to the residents of Fingest since moving to the Chequers over five years ago. They hold spare keys and alarm codes for half the village, carry out shopping for housebound neighbours and take in parcels. The parish church uses the pub as a village hall, holding events such as the Maundy Thursday procession and Harvest Festival in its back room. Ray and Christian are also heavily involved with the local Stokenchurch Dog Rescue, which they have made the pub's chosen charity.
Their contribution to the life of Fingest won Ray & Christian the title of 'Community Pub of the Year' in the Brakspear Annual Awards 2009.
Pictured right: Ray Connelly with the defibrillator installed at The Chequers, Fingest
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1 February 10 Brakspear expands beer list Open
Brakspear expands beer list
Brakspear is extending the list of cask ales available to its tenants from the current offer of four permanent ales to 14. The new list is effective from 1st February.
Ales on the new list include some of the best-sellers from the Marston's portfolio. Brakspear Bitter remains a 'must stock', but tenants can now add to their cask range from names such as Marston's Pedigree and Jennings Sneck Lifter, as well as local favourites Old Hooky and Hobgoblin.
Seasonal ales will change every month, starting in February with Brakspear Special. Brakspear is supporting the reappearance of this 'old favourite' with a competition for one customer to win a special prize- a day as a brewer at the Wychwood Brewery in Witney, where Brakspear beers are brewed.
Commercial director Tom Davies said, "Cask ale is one of the big success stories of the pub trade and we're doing all we can to help our tenants profit from the growth in this sector. The expanded beer list will enable more Brakspear tenants to offer their customers an interesting range of cask beers, which is a proven way of keeping pubs busy despite the recession and driving not just sales of beer, but of other drinks and food."
Brakspear's commitment to cask ale is also evident in its investment in Cask Marque accreditation for its pubs. Over the last year, 25 pubs have gained a Cask Marque Award and more are awaiting inspection. The BII's ABCQ training course is offered regularly to Brakspear tenants and staff.
Tasting notes for all the beers and the calendar of seasonal ales are listed on Brakspear's new website, www.brakspear.co.uk
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26 January 10 Reformation shortlisted for national award Open
Reformation shortlisted for national award
Their infectious enthusiasm, high standards and taste for unusual activities - Log Splitting, anyone? - have earned Lesley & Allan Quelch of The Reformation in Gallowstree Common a place in the finals of the Community Pub of the Year Award, organised by pub industry magazine The Publican.
Reaching the finals is a fantastic achievement for the Quelches, as several hundred pubs enter the Publican Awards - meaning competition is intense and standards high. Lesley & Allan were shortlisted after a 'paper judging' and now face a mystery visit and an interview with a Publican journalist. Five other pubs are competing for the Community Pub Award and the winner will be announced in London in April.
Lesley commented, "Getting this far in a national contest is a real thrill. We're delighted and so are our hard-working team of staff and our wonderful regulars. We've worked hard since we took on The Reformation to make it a thriving community pub with plenty going on for everyone in and around Gallowstree Common and it's good to receive endorsement for what we've done."
Tom Davies, Brakspear's commercial director, added, "Lesley and Allan have impressed ever since joining us with their energy and commitment, and they won our Brakspear Newcomer Award last year. They thoroughly deserve their place in the finals and we'll be keeping fingers crossed for them to win the overall title in April."
For further information on any of the above news stories, or to obtain a high-resolution image, please contact our PR consultant Ros Shiel on
07841 694137 or ros@shielcomms.co.uk.