00:00 Adam, how you doing? We're here in Ludlow, Changthai. Fantastic place, full of character, full of charm, but soon to be no more. What's the story chap?
00:13 Well, 20 years, 20 glorious years. It's been fun, it's been exciting. It's come to the renewing release, we've decided not to go ahead. We, I have decided not to go ahead.
00:27 The reasons being, it's not exactly fly by night, it's been 20 years as I say, it's very tiring, it needs 100% commitment.
00:38 And also in terms of lease and legalities and stuff, the building's in a very poor state and needs a lot of money spending on it, which doesn't seem to be happening.
00:48 So it just seemed to be a nice round number to hang up the boots as it were.
00:55 I guess that's the, people come to Ludlow because of these gorgeous old buildings, but I guess when you're trying to operate a business from inside them, it comes with their own problems, doesn't it?
01:05 Yeah, I mean, we are an old town and it's great for that. But yes, access and things like that, but also old frames and old roofs with old tiles, etc.
01:20 Roofs been a particular problem I understand on this building.
01:23 Yeah, that's the main problem. It affects the rest of the building, it's allowed to have fruit and everything else.
01:29 Yeah. And we were having a little chat, there seems to be a few businesses, few character businesses, the fruit and veg, the flower store and the market, interiors, place and another couple seem to be have gone or going over the next few months.
01:43 Do you kind of reflect and think there's a bit of a turn in the business community in Ludlow at the minute? What's your thoughts on that?
01:51 One of my favourite quotes is "All things including us will be superseded". Everything moves on, everything changes.
01:58 Ludlow seems to be going through a stage at the moment of a lot of places taking the opportunity to close down or not renew.
02:07 Whether this is a long term thing, I don't know. I mean every now and again maybe you do need a bit of a refresh and a chance for maybe other people to come in with new ideas and push things forward.
02:22 Now you're a very creative person, you've got a degree in art. I mean we can, if anyone comes in here they can see the colourful expression adorned across the walls.
02:33 Do you fear that places like this are becoming fewer, places with charm and character individuality and the chain companies are kind of moving in a little bit more?
02:44 I worry it's becoming increasingly difficult for an independent or individual operator to be running pubs.
02:54 There's so much more in the way of bureaucracy and health and safety, HR things that need to be doing and for one person to manage all that, you haven't got an office that deals with HR or etc.
03:07 It becomes very difficult, very time consuming. Maybe other people are more organised than me.
03:15 Well you were saying though, this is kind of your baby, it's just you at the helm of it so everything falls upon you and you're trying to keep the day to day running and then the behind the scenes stuff and it is frankly exhausting I should imagine.
03:28 Yeah it is exhausting, I mean look at me I'm only 25.
03:31 Have you tried all of it?
03:34 I've tried loads of it.
03:35 So what's next for you then sir? Do you know, well I guess we should say it's going to be going out with a bang, you're open to July.
03:43 We're open to July, we've got DJs, we've got Thai barbecues, we're going to be having some yard sales to clear out a lot of 20 years of junk and bits and pieces I've managed to collect so watch out for that.
03:57 And we want to go out dancing and shouting for the end of July.
04:03 And what about for yourself then after that, any plans, do you know, I presumably you won't be wanting to jump into opening a new pub restaurant business after 20 years.
04:12 We've got the other pub, the Blue Ball which is unaffected, that's a different kettle of fish.
04:18 I'm going to be looking around for something a bit more involved in the arts, we've done a lot of stuff whilst we've been here involved with the Fringe and Ludlow Pride and music and things so I'd like to still be involved in that going forward.
04:33 There's a couple of things that are in discussion at the moment so yeah, watch this space as it were, but it's not going to be hospitality.
04:42 And I guess final question, since Covid, has it never quite recovered business would you say since Covid?
04:50 It's very easy to look back and throw a tin of spectacles or whatever isn't it, but I feel atmosphere is different, people's mood and expectations and wants are different.
05:03 When someone's coming into your bar and the prices have gone so expensive now, I guess people, it's not the relaxing experience maybe it should be because people are watching the pennies.
05:17 But yeah, I've forgotten the question on that one.
05:23 So the final message is, you're open to July, watch this space for upcoming events, big parties, going out with a bang.
05:31 There's definitely going to be some parties, there's life in the old dog here, I've managed to squeeze a couple of more parties out I reckon.
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