Stanhoe news
A “local” local
Sandy Butcher and Berni Morritt, the new licensees of the Duck Inn, still have some work in progress, Sandy told Stanhoe parish councillors last night.
They are reinstating a “drinking” bar and also have some longer-term plans, primarily for permission for more caravans.
Sandy said that Elgoods Brewery also has a long-term plan to provide more overnight accommodation at the Duck, although at present funding for this is not available. Anyone familiar with Wiveton Bell will know that their eight bedrooms are built in a complementary style to the pub and are barely visible to passers-by, she said.
Sandy and Berni expect to be keeping a fairly low profile and leaving their manager Will, who comes from Morston, to run the pub from day to day, as they want it to reflect the community, not themselves. They want the majority of the business to be from local people, not tourists: they wish local customers to be accorded respect, and priority where possible over visitors in terms of bookings for meals. They also want to encourage walkers, including dog walkers, and hope that shooting parties will use the garden room extensively.
Sandy said that in four weeks’ time the bar would be completed and the fire lit, and she hopes that residents will be in there. She and Berni are very proud of the fact that despite the current economic climate, their pub in Wiveton, the Bell, is packed with village residents and there is a real community atmosphere, which they hope to see replicated in Stanhoe.