Flamstead: Village loses two of its three pubs in a day

Last week the village of Flamstead in Hertfordshire was home to three pubs. But then, hours apart on the same day, the Three Blackbirds and the Spotted Dog announced their closures, with both blaming rising costs. Now only the Rose & Crown remains. How do people in the village feel about the news?

Simon Goodwin, who has lived in Flamstead for 29 years, says the closures are a "major shock".

Mr Goodwin is concerned how it will affect local groups and activities such as the local history society.

"At the end of the day it's the best way of getting bums on seats in terms of attendance - better than anywhere else."

He speculates that Covid "got us out of routines" of meeting up with friends after work and at weekends. However, he is hopeful that will soon change.

"Somebody's going to buy it at a time when things have changed and people have realised going out is sociable and fun and something they'd like to do again."

Every August thousands of people visit the village for Flamstead Scarecrow Festival, Simon says it's "a crying shame" the two pubs will not be there this year.

"That's when these places make their money," he says.

Ros and Edward Thomas have lived in the village for 47 years and find the closures "very sad".

Mr Thomas says: "I think the shock of those interest rates going up must be very difficult."

Mrs Thomas would visit The Spotted Dog for a coffee meeting once a week. She believes the pubs played an important role in the local community.

"I know people in the village that would go every day for coffee and read a newspaper. I think there does need to be a meeting place for people."

She also has concerns that it may be too difficult to run a pub.

"Is anybody in the current economic climate going to make a go of running a pub? Is anybody going to take it on? That's what I worry about."

Gareth Farr, landlord of the The Three Blackbirds, says running a pub is unsustainable due to rising energy bills, food costs and brewery prices.

He says: "This pub needs around £5,500 a week just to break even. When I moved in nine months ago, it was £4,500. Over nine months, we're talking about an extra £1,000 a week.

"The community is devastated, they're absolutely mortified they're losing two the pubs in the village, let alone one."

He says the two pubs in close proximity made a great destination for locals to "unwind a little bit" and he believes the two complimented each other.

"The Spotted Dog had their gastro kind of set up; we are a traditional English pub so I think the two worked quite well".

However, now Mr Farr does not think running a village pub is a viable business option "unless you've got a lot of money to lose".

"It's been very stressful. It's hard work. I have a construction company as well but the pub life is certainly harder than the construction."

In a notice posted on its website, The Spotted Dog said: "It is with a heavy heart that we must announce the difficult decision to close our much-loved local village pub, The Spotted Dog.

"Over the past couple of years, we have invested much time, energy, and resources into running The Spotted Dog. However, despite our best endeavours, the economic climate and rising costs have made it impossible to keep the pub running."

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