Caravan park helps secure pub's future
2 June 2009
The Landlord of a pub near Pershore says the creation of a
nearby caravan park is the only way that his business has been kept
afloat. Neil Overton says the future of The Defford Arms will be
more secure after permission was agreed for a static caravan park
behind the pub.
Earlier this month, Mayor of Pershore, Ken Rowe, officially
opened the 14-caravan site, which can be lived in for up to 10
months of the year. The plots each cost £2,100 per-year and the
income will be used to support the pub, said Mr Overton.
"We feel we have diversify to keep up with the supermarkets," he
said.
"And this venture will help safeguard the future of the pub.
"There are about 39 pubs-a-week closing and we do not want to be
one of those statistics.
"After the floods of 2007, there was a niche in the market for
safe grounds for caravans and people actually contacted us, for the
first time, about the idea."
One of the future tenants, Alan Perry, who is from West
Bromwich, said he had family in the area and had been looking for a
local caravan site for some time.
Paul Havenhand, a spokesperson for local caravan insurer,
Towergate Bakers, commented, "Despite the fact that we are in a
recession, it gives us hope to see that caravanning is helping to
improve the economy, which helps prevent pubs, like The Defford
Arms, from closing."
Story from Berrows Journal News