How cost of living crisis is impacting a pub in the Vale of Belvoir

Lifelong friends Michelle Bloxham, Darren Guilford and Justyn Durham were new to the pub trade when they took over The Nevile Arms at Kinoulton last July.

And it has been a baptism of fire for the trio with soaring energy bills and rising inflation providing extra challenges at a time when an average of 32 pubs have closed in the last last months, according to government figures, due to fewer people going out to drink and eat.

They have had to cut back on staff at The Nevile Arms in recent months and they’ve closed up earlier on certain nights to save money.

Justyn told the Melton Times: “It feels very very tough to run a pub right now.

"My background is recruitment, and that’s known as a tough industry but it doesn’t come close mentally or physically to the rigours of running a pub.

“Obviously the energy crisis is impacting on us massively, because not only are our energy bills rising rapidly, but there’s a knock-on impact on our products.

“In the pub environment we have to look the customer in their eyes and explain why prices are going up, nobody wants that as they’re being impacted in just the same way that we are.”

He said it was heartbreaking to tell staff that they can’t give them the hours they want because of the pressures on the business.

"We’re probably going to have to do a one week on, one week off system for a number of our casual staff, and that doesn’t sit easy with us,” he explained.

"We are part of a community, we love employing people from the local area, so seeing the disappointment on their faces cuts deep.”

The landlords have decided to start cashing up and bolting the door on evenings from Monday to Thursday if the pub or restaurant is empty at 9pm, and also closing early if there are no customers in at 7pm on a Sunday.

Staff levels are also being reduced during the daytimes.

“Closing early was something we were very resistant to do, but we recognise that from 8pm to probably 10pm on a number of evenings per week, we are actually losing money made on other days,” Justyn added.

Meanwhile, to battle rising costs and dwindling trade the trio of first time landlords are working hard to keep people coming through the door.

Michelle organises a number of events for the village, ranging from live music at the weekends and quizzes during the week to a black tie ball for New Year’s Eve plus special themed evenings like their ‘Tapas Tuesday’ and ‘Bottomless Pizza’ on Wednesdays.

The pub also hosts a regular village market where local independent businesses can showcase and sell their wares – the next is on March 18, 8am to noon.

The Nevile Arms, where a pub has stood since the 1860s, is open seven days a week, and its landlords are appealing to local people and other nearby villagers to support it so it can remain an important asset to the community.