A new micropub serving a range of local ales and ciders opened its doors in Prince William Walk , Daventry on Friday, February 27.
Partners and new landlords Neil Hawkey and Caroline Langlands say Early Doors aims to offer an alternative to the loud music and the standard brand beers offered by some venues in the town.
Mr Hawkey, 43, works as an electrician for Northamptonshire County Council. He said: “We were looking at getting our own venue, we looked at taking up the Coach and Horses in Daventry but they would not let us put on the beers we wanted.
“We went and looked at the closest micropub, which is The Old Post Office in Warwick, and we have had the idea of opening our own for the past 18 months.
Mr Hawkey said a micropub seemed to be the ideal choice of venue as while it won’t be able to compete with bigger pubs in terms of opening hours or floor space, with a few part time workers it is a business that can work well without becoming too much to handle.
He said: “The micropub movement is all about going back to how a pub should be , which is all about having somewhere you can get a nice pint of beer and you are not being ripped off.
“There is no music and you can have a nice conversation.”
Ms Langlands, who is 45, will be taking over running the business after leaving her previous job working as a warrant officer of 13 years. She has previous bar experience, working in Bentley’s Wine Bar (now closed) and Fridays.
She said: “It was taking ages to find a premises but a month ago we signed the lease.”
The couple say they went for a design that is a little different to your usual boozer.
The micropub is simply decorated with a bare concrete floor, while the furnishings are mostly created from recycled and reclaimed materials; the bar itself is made from a weathered former scaffolding plank bought at auction in Northampton. Pictured right you can see a First World War propeller on the wall.
Ms Langlands said:“We feel that sense of community we like in pubs has been lacking in Daventry, we wanted to create a sense of community and give something back.”
But what really draws the eye is the micropub’s range of local brews, including Gun Dog ales from Woodford Halse. There are also plans to source cider from the village of Welton.
The micropub will open from midday to 9pm Tuesday to Saturday. For a £1 charge, pub-goers are welcome to bring their own food which will be plated up, with the money being donated to charity. An official opening event will take place on March 30, with representatives from local microbreweries attending.