Popular community pub raises £30k in just 48 hours

Following an emotional appeal to the community for help, a popular locals pub in Walthamstow has raised an amazing sum of money in a very short space of time.

Ye Olde Rose & Crown Theatre Pub is being charged full rent by their landlord Ei Group whilst closed and unable to trade, and is accruing a great deal of debt with every week that passes. The pub was not eligible for a government grant.

In an emotional video, one of the owners explains “I’m not going to lie this feels embarrassing and hard to stomach but we need to ask for help. We pride ourselves in being a part of a beautifully supportive community and we always aim to be there whenever needed. However this time we are the ones that really need the community to catch us before we fall.” 

“In our 12 years of being here we have never taken debt we have never missed our bills, we’ve always ensured our staff got paid even if we were struggling to pay ourselves, and we have never had to ask for help in this way.”

They further explained that they are having to find approx. £30k each month just to keep their doors closed.

The community responded loud and clear, and the appeal was shared and viewed thousands of times across social media platforms. Within around 24 hours the target of £20,000 was met, and has since swelled to over £30,000. The appeal was only launched on 18th June.

Following this amazing response, the pub released a video to thank their many supporters.

♥️THANK YOU ♥️ pic.twitter.com/DJwRGHs1MY

— Ye Olde Rose and Crown Theatre Pub E17 (@roseandcrownpub) June 19, 2020

The response highlights the importance of pubs to their communities, and gives us hope that they will bounce back.

Lack of rental support

In spite of our earlier petition, and the government’s code of practice meant to encourage negotiation – Ei Group are still refusing any rental support to their free of tie tenants.

This pub is just one example of many pubs who will be feeling under a great deal of pressure just to be in a position to ever reopen. It seems grossly unfair that tenants should bear the full rental cost during enforced closure, and we urge landlords to offer more support – or lose these great operators altogether.