Cheers to Spalding pub scene as bans do work

Things are looking up for Spalding’s pub scene - and bans are working as a deterrent to encourage troublemakers to ditch their bad behaviour.

Venues across the town work together as part of the pubwatch scheme - and six people are currently banned from entering into any of their establishments.

Former police sergeant Stuart Brotherton, who runs the scheme, says the threat of bans has a positive impact on our pubs.

He said: “The deterrent effect is there for pubwatch because it’s peoples’ social life.

“People have said ‘please, whatever you do, don’t put me on a ban’. They’ve even said that they would rather go to court and pay a fine.

“I am pleased that it has that sort of effect.”

Bans for both pubwatch and shopwatch are handed out to serial offenders who ignore written warnings.

Mr Brotherton’s role sees him have close contact with landlords - and he feels the outlook is positive for publicans, especially if the Government’s Covid restrictions are able to end as planned on July 19.

This year has seen new owners revealed for Mulberry’s - which reopened on Monday after a makeover - while the Red Lion has successfully changed hands.

It is also understood that plans are in place to reopen the Lincolnshire Poacher.

Mr Brotherton added: “The positive sign is that pubs that were going to close are not any longer.

“The only two pubs that remain static are the Black Swan and the White Horse, both of which are brewery owned and waiting for somebody to come along and take the lease.

“It is disappointing because the White Horse is effectively the pinnacle of locations and it has been shut for two years.”

However, he feels a growing population and a lack of competition from restaurants make Spalding’s pubs an attractive proposition.

He added: “It is a huge risk but I think for some people, if they are young enough, the trade is there for the future, particularly in Spalding.

“If you look at eating houses, we are limited in our availability and I think there’s a massive opportunity.”

He said pubs and the whole hospitality sector are vital when it comes to helping the town centre to thrive - with retail no longer the sole secret to success for market towns.

Mr Brotherton believes that it’s also time that the South Holland Centre played a bigger role - with the potential for cinema showings to help boost the takings of pubs for people heading for a drink before or after a film and helping to attract younger people into the town centre.

He added: “We have sadly lacked and have fallen behind.

“Look at the younger generation - these are the people who make things vibrant.”

The South Holland Centre is due to reopen at the end of July for a series of film showings throughout the summer.