The White Lion, Broadwindsor Is Open!

With great anticipation, The White Lion opened its doors at 6pm last night with members of the Management committee lined up to welcome everyone….

 

Chairman Rick Dyke invited Elaine Leader, with Ryan & Rosie to ceremoniously cut the ribbon….

 


First customers were Adam Slater who bought a pint of Palmers Tally Ho! and Mike Eltherington, who enjoyed a pint of Palmers Copper.

Rick introduced the pub’s management…

 

Our resident poet, Peter Roe performed his poem, written specifically for the event, ‘Heart Of A Lion‘…


Rick thanked those involved…


How much will it cost you for your pint or glass of wine?


The pub will be open from:

  • Tuesday to Friday, from 6pm -11pm,
  • Saturdays, 11am- 11pm
  • Sundays, 12 noon – 10.30pm.

On Tuesday nights, the pub will not be serving food but customers are welcome to take in their fish and chips from Nat’s van that comes to the village every week.

Congratulations & Well Done All!

#Broadwindsor,#Drimpton,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Village,#WestDorset,#Dorset,#2022,#DAONB,#DorsetLife,#PalmersBrewery,#TheWhiteLion,#BGPC,#CommunityPub,#RadioSolent,#PeterRoe,#OpeningNight,#OpenForBusiness,#SeeYouThere,#SaveTheWhiteLion,#WeDidIt,#DrinkResponsibly,#NFP,#Funding,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

The White Lion On Radio Solent

Our Community Pub, The White Lion opens tomorrow (Friday,29th) at 6pm 🙂

If you are up early enough in the morning, please tune in to Radio Solent at 7.05am – Click HERE for the link – and you will hear Chairman Rick Dyke being interviewed. If you missed it – listen below.

Later at 8.05am,  village resident, Izzy Masey will be giving views from the community’s perspective and our resident poet, Peter Roe will recite his poem, written specifically for this occasion ‘Heart of a Lion‘ which is added below…

We have learned
from ages past
That hope and heart
and courage lasts
This beating heart
of wood and stone
A redoubt of place
for our village soul
A bastion of community
A centre for connection
participation, commiseration
and joyous celebration
Shelter from the storm
Take time to think
By our hearth
take food and drink
Reflect on the journey
Those that led and fell
Those valiant hearts
whose tales we’ll tell
On this small spot
of England’s ground
As long as people
gather round
About the Lionheart…
that lives in England still
This beating pulse
of a communities will
This White Lion…
This lions heart…
This Broadwindsor!

Peter Roe – April 2022

The pub will be open from:

  • Tuesday to Friday, from 6pm -11pm,
  • Saturdays, 11am- 11pm
  • Sundays, 12 noon – 10.30pm.

On Tuesday nights, the pub will not be serving food but customers are welcome to take in their fish and chips from Nat’s van that comes to the village every week.

#Broadwindsor,#Drimpton,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Village,#WestDorset,#Dorset,#2022,#DAONB,#DorsetLife,#PalmersBrewery,#TheWhiteLion,#BGPC,#CommunityPub,#RadioSolent,#PeterRoe,#OpeningNight,#Committees,#SeeYouThere,#SaveTheWhiteLion,#ComradesArms,#DrinkResponsibly,#NFP,#Funding,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

The White Lion Broadwindsor Roars Back To Life

The White Lion at Broadwindsor will be reopening as a Community pub on Friday, 29th April at 6pm.

It follows months of negotiations with owners Palmers Brewery, a hugely successful public fundraising campaign and weeks of hard work by volunteers to refurbish the West Dorset village’s only public house.

The campaign had been spearheaded by parish council vice-chairman David Leader, who died suddenly last month at the age of 64.

Rick Dyke, Chairman of the White Lion Management Committee, said: ‘Without David’s energy, enthusiasm and diplomacy, we would not be about to reopen the pub. We hope that The White Lion will become the community hub that David envisaged.

He paid tribute to the local community which has so generously supported the committee’s fundraising efforts.

He added: ‘I’d also like to thank the many volunteers who have so freely given their time to help with the refurbishment, some of whom have been almost living in the pub in recent months. They know who they are!
I am sure everyone who visits The White Lion will agree that the transformation has been remarkable. I’d also like to thank all the committee members who have given so much of their time, knowledge and experience in delivering this project.

Around £50,000 was raised for refurbishment and working capital through public donations, grants, funding from the Parish Council, a contribution from Palmers Brewery and events, including a band night and two themed food evenings. A pop-up bar in the village hall (The Comrades Arms) has been running since October and raised nearly £10,000.

The tenancy agreement for The White Lion was signed by committee members on 14th February. Work has been going on behind the scenes ever since to get the pub ready to open.

Manager Kate Staff, whose parents live locally, will be running the pub with her daughters, Chloe and Louise. They met the community at an open evening in the pub in February when visitors had the opportunity to find out more about the refurbishment and future plans.

Since then, Kate has been leading the volunteer decorating team in transforming the interior into a lighter and brighter space.

It’s lovely to be a part of this amazing project,’ she said. ‘We’re really looking forward to opening the doors and welcoming customers back into the pub.
We want The White Lion to be the kind of place where people can meet up with family and friends or feel comfortable to come in on their own. The White Lion has played a central role in village life over the years so long may that continue
.’

Initially, the pub will be open only for drinks until new equipment is installed in the kitchen. But it’s hoped that it won’t be long before the pub is serving food again.

The White Lion aims to be modestly profitable but not for private profit, offering food and drink with an emphasis on local produce.  The atmosphere is intended to be warm and friendly and a hub for the community.


The pub will be open from:

  • Tuesday to Friday, from 6pm -11pm,
  • Saturdays, 11am- 11pm
  • Sundays, 12 noon – 10.30pm.

On Tuesday nights, the pub will not be serving food but customers are welcome to take in their fish and chips from Nat’s van that comes to the village every week.

SaveTheWhiteLion.Org

#Broadwindsor,#Drimpton,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Village,#WestDorset,#Dorset,#2022,#DAONB,#DorsetLife,#PalmersBrewery,#TheWhiteLion,#BGPC,#CommunityPub,#OpeningNight,#Committees,#SeeYouThere,#SaveTheWhiteLion,#ComradesArms,#DrinkResponsibly,#NFP,#Funding,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

The White Lion Sub-Group Now A ‘Community Sub-Committee’

In response to the many questions being asked on several occasions, it would appear that the sub-group have become a Community Sub-Committee and are creating another questionnaire

The White Lion Community Sub-committee:

 

The community sub-committee comprises Sara Dyke, Izzy Masey, Annie Bowman and Dorothy Rowe and has met 3 times to date. Their first meeting involved “brainstorming” every possible community use of the space within the pub both out of and within licensing hours.

From this meeting a draft consultation questionnaire was devised ready for distribution once the pub is open. The farming community was contacted and likewise Rev Jo for feedback and ideas for pub use.

It should be stressed that the intention is to complement the use of Comrades Hall rather than to compete with it. 

The refurbishment of the pub will create a versatile area which can be used as a community space as well as a traditional pub, although the business’s long-term viability depends on it being a successful pub first and foremost and this remains our priority.

The sub-committee have also visited the Axminster Waffle House which runs as a community not for profit cafe and runs community groups and outreach work for community benefit which could be duplicated here in Broadwindsor.

The hope is to release the questionnaire once the pub has opened and have a community notice board within the pub for residents to also have their say. Collaboration with Kate regarding her time and ability to host/facilitate new ventures is also crucial. 

The sub-committee is mindful of getting a community space absolutely right and will be thinking carefully about what can realistically be delivered, to start slowly and then gain momentum. The pub will be a truly community pub to be used by all as we have all worked so hard and donated so generously for this vision.

 

Rick Dyke
Chairman, The White Lion Management Committee

SaveTheWhiteLion.Org

#Broadwindsor,#Drimpton,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Village,#WestDorset,#Dorset,#2022,#DAONB,#DorsetLife,#PalmersBrewery,#TheWhiteLion,#BGPC,#CommunityPub,#Fundraising,#Committees,#SeeYouThere,#SaveTheWhiteLion,#ComradesArms,#NFP,#Funding,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe