AN EARLEY pub has come up with a novel way of helping customers celebrate the Platinum Jubilee and cope with the rising cost of living … it’s rolling back the clock to charge just 6p a pint.
The offer runs across the four-day jubilee holiday weekend at The Roebuck in Auckland Road, and is one of a number of special events taking place at the venue to mark the Queen’s 70 years on the throne.
The pub has been specially decorated in – what else? – red, white and blue, and there’s even a life-sized picture of the Queen for people to take selfies with.
On Friday evening, Four Counties Kev will perform an acoustic set of traditional pub classics.
Landlord David Rigg says: “He’ll do some Chas ‘n’ Dave stuff, and it will be a bit of a singalong.
Saturday is planned to be a garden party, but Mr Rigg is ready for any rain that might fall.
“The weather is forecast to be bad, so we’ve literally brought our garden party indoors. We’ve already got about 60 people (booked in), plus an engagement party.
“And on Sunday, we have afternoon of karaoke and, in the evening, a quiz.”
Mr Rigg says that the jubilee is a great time for the community to come together once again after the covid lockdowns.
“During the pandemic, people’s drinking habits changed, and it’s been a bit of a tough road, but people are coming back slowly, slowly, slowly,” he explains.
And one way people will be coming back quickly, quickly, quickly is The Roebuck’s special 6p beer offer. It is on cask ale, and limited to one pint per person per day over the jubilee weekend.
“I thought our customers would quite like that,” he says. “We did a bit of research and found out that the actual price in 1952 was sixpence, and because they were still in rationing – six pints a week – we would also do some rationing.
“We’ve put a ration book on our Facebook page, people need to print it off and bring it along and we’ll sign it off.”
The offer is limited to cask ale, including a specially brewed Jubilee Ale, and Greene King IPA, while stocks last. Other casks are in the casks are ready to go and Mr Rigg is sure that the offer will go down well.
“Not a lot of younger drinkers drink cask any more, but I think at 6p a pint they will be wiling to give it a go, and if they have a good experience hopefully we’ll encourage them to come back after the jubilee.
“We have entertainment every week, a quiz every other week, karaoke on Sunday afternoons, darts team, pool teams, all of which we actively encourage younger people to get involved in, because it’s currently mainly older customers that take part.
“I think pub culture has changed over the years. I pride myself on The Roebuck being a traditional pub, but we want to get the younger adults and the students to get involved in the pub games, get everybody off Facebook, get people talking to each other, and having a good time and being part of the community – because that’s what we are, we’re part of the community.”
Mr Rigg is keen to ensure the Platinum Jubilee is celebrated well, not least as he can remember the special memories generated by the Silver Jubilee back in 1977.
“I’m originally from Doncaster, and I met the Queen during her Silver Jubilee tour,” he says.
“I was sat outside Mansion House, and the Queen came up to us, and I gave her a tulip or a daffodil, I can’t remember.”
And what if Her Majesty popped over from Windsor with her ration book to have a 6p pint at The Roebuck this weekend?
“I think I’d be a bit starstruck,” he says. “I am a bit of Royalist, I do follow the Royal family, not just the current ones, but researching the Tudors and the Plantagenets.”
But would he charge her? “Yeah, I think so,” he smiles. “She wouldn’t carry any money with her, but we could set up a tab and keep it there for posterity.”
The Roebuck’s Jubilee ration book, and details of its holiday events, can be found at https://www.facebook.com/theofficialroebuckpub
