Pop-up pub pioneers say concept could be rolled out nationally
The organisers of the Old Barn Door, which operates in the Hampshire village of Exbury exclsuisvely under Temporary Event Notices, say they would also be willing to lend their brand to a traditional pub.
The Old Barn Door was the brainchild of Red Johnson and Toby Ecuyer who, after lamenting the lack of a pub in their home village, set about creating their own.
The pub sets up at a different location for each event with the addresses not publicly advertised but shared with people who directly express an interest. Beers are supplied by local breweries, including Vibrant Forest, Flowerpots and Botley Brewery, and sold at £2 a pint.
The pub’s name comes from the source for the makeshift bar from which volunteers serve.
Johnson said: “We are big supporters of pubs and would love to have one in the village but we are well aware of the commitment that entails. This seemed like a way of providing all the things a pub provides – good beer and a good atmosphere – without having to give up our lives and sanity to run a pub.”
Locations so far have included a farmer’s field and the beach. Each event is held under a TEN with the website carrying the disclaimer that “we reserve the right to refuse to serve drinks to anyone we don’t like the look of at our discretion”.
Progress
Johnson said the pop-ups, which have begun to spark interest from neighbouring towns, taking an average of £1,000 a night with all profits being ploughed back into future events. He said the bureaucratic hurdles had also proved “surprisingly painless” to overcome.
He said: “This is definitely something I could see working in other places. Sadly a lot of rural pubs have closed down and this could fill a gap. But seeing the interest we have had from surrounding areas I think it would be a success anywhere. If someone approached us interested in taking the brand and applying it somewhere else we would listen to that.
“Likewise if someone wanted to open a pub in Exbury and call it the Old Barn Door we would be delighted to help them.”
The next pop-up is on Friday July 18. For more information go to www.exburyoldbarndoor.com.
