Focus South West: a root cause
Just because you're a national pub chain doesn't mean you have to replicate exactly the same formula wherever you are in the country - as the new JD Wetherspoon pub in St Austell, Cornwall, proves.
While the business is underpinned by Wetherspoon's systems, from the customer's point of view, the Rann Wartha has a distinctively Cornish feel. The pub's name, for a start, is Cornish for Higher Quarter, the part of town famous for its clay mines, and the signage throughout is bilingual.Locally brewed ales
Locally brewed ales are on tap, including Sharp's of Wadebridge and Skinner's of Truro - which has created a beer called Cornish Moon Water especially for the pub. And pasties made by the Proper Cornish Pasty Company of Bodmin have been added to the usual Wetherspoon menu.
Work of local artists decorates the bar and even the management team is home-grown - Chris and Stacy Weeks were both born in St Austell.
The effort seems to be paying off. Since the Rann Wartha opened in the town's former Conservative Club three weeks ago, at a redevelopment cost of £1.9m, trade has been "absolutely crazy" says Chris.
"The locals think it's fantastic. We are getting everyone in here, from 18-year-olds to families to older people who used to use the Conservative Club. Everyone asks what the name means, and that gets them interested in the local history and all the information we've got about that around the pub.
"The local beers and pasties are going well, too," Chris adds.
Nearly all the Rann Wartha's custom has come from people in the town - showing that giving a pub a local twist isn't just for curious visitors.
"It's certainly not a gimmick for the tourists - it's for Cornish people, it's our way of supporting the local community," explains Wetherspoon's area manager Georgina Bridges. "It's something we take very seriously as a company - we want to be seen as a community pub.
"We also want to be involved in educating younger people, in their history and language."
In common with other pubs in the group, the Rann Wartha strongly reflects local history, which for St Austell means the industrial history around the clay pits, and it also meant tapping into the revival of interest in the Cornish language. Translations of all the signage in the pub were provided by Cornwall's new language development office.
"We have only been going for six months and are still researching the extent of knowledge of Cornish," says the office's Jenefer Lowe. "But we have definitely seen an increased awareness, especially among young people."
The translation service is open to other pubs in Cornwall, free of charge, by calling 01872 323497, and the office can also offer advice on local history and culture, food and entertainment.
