New licensee was student customer 20 years ago

5:00pm Friday 8th March 2013 in News By Catherine Phillips, Reporter

The Paul Pry licensee Catherine Ottaway and manager Mark Tedino. 10132602. The Paul Pry licensee Catherine Ottaway and manager Mark Tedino. 10132602.

A HISTORIC city centre pub which has been shut for eight months has once again opened its doors.

The Paul Pry in The Butts will be open five days a week from Tuesday to Saturday during the day, serving drinks including real ales and pub grub.

Licensee Catherine Ottaway said she was saddened to see the grade two-listed building empty and decided to use her expertise as licensee of the Plough Inn in Fish Street and the Dragon Inn in The Tything to turn its fortunes around.

The pub, which is included in the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) inventory of historic pub interiors, sat empty for two years before it was opened up as a family cafe and restaurant in 2010.

However, time had been called on trade at the 200-year-old building once again before Mrs Ottaway stepped in and opened it up to its first customers on Friday, March 1.

She said: “It is such a lovely old building.

“It was just a shame to see it shut for so long.

“I used to come here as a student some 20 years ago and it was the place to visit.”

Regulars from the Plough and the Dragon have been popping in to visit the pub, which was built in 1901, and Worcester’s landmark joint university and public library is also helping to drive trade.

“The Hive has been a great thing for The Butts, people are walking past on their way to the library and coming in to have something for lunch,” Mrs Ottaway said.

“If we can keep an old building open then it is definitely worth a try.”

Bill Ottaway, Camra press officer for Worcester, said he was confident the new team at the Paul Pry could make a success of the business.

He said: “It’s fantastic to see the Paul Pry open again as a real ale pub which is great for the city and real ale drinkers alike.

“I wish the new licensee Catherine the best of luck.”

Comments(8)

Saturn V says...
5:36pm Fri 8 Mar 13

Only open during the day?

It's really good to see this beautiful pub open again, and in such good hands too.

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New Kid on the Block says...
6:30pm Fri 8 Mar 13

Great to see this Pub open again. Hopefully it will soon be opening for evening trade as well.

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marshall_bravestarr says...
7:58pm Fri 8 Mar 13

Used to enjoy a game of pool in there 10 years ago with my college mates. Always a good laugh with a mixture of social groups happily sharing the venue.

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Jabbadad says...
11:33am Sat 9 Mar 13

Could this be an Ottaway of CAMRA fame at last putting their money where their mouth has been on many occasions about closing non -profitable pubs? If so well done.
I really hope that it goes well and that you don't join the thousands who have lost their homes and shirts in the pub trade mainly due to greedy Breweries / landlords who charge uneconomical rents based upon sales forecasts from the good old days, and which are rarely achievable. And tenants stay there hoping things will change and when they don't, they realise far too late, that they have lost their money.

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The Doosra says...
6:02pm Sat 9 Mar 13

Jabbadad wrote:
Could this be an Ottaway of CAMRA fame at last putting their money where their mouth has been on many occasions about closing non -profitable pubs? If so well done.
I really hope that it goes well and that you don't join the thousands who have lost their homes and shirts in the pub trade mainly due to greedy Breweries / landlords who charge uneconomical rents based upon sales forecasts from the good old days, and which are rarely achievable. And tenants stay there hoping things will change and when they don't, they realise far too late, that they have lost their money.
Jabbadad. You're not quite master of your brief, otherwise you would not have written the first sentence of your post.

Nevertheless, it's good to see the Paul Pry open again, and it's in good hands!

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Brummagem Bertie says...
7:38pm Sat 9 Mar 13

Jabbadad, yes there is a problem with pub chains (not so much breweries, since the Beer Orders) charging ridiculous rents and tying tenants into rip-off beer and other drinks contracts.

But this isn't leading to the closure of non-profitable pubs. It is leading to the closure of perfectly viable pubs, capable of providing a reasonable living to their tenants, because the pub chains are too greedy or want to shut the pub and sell it off for development, to reduce their capital borrowing and increase returns to shareholders.

It is to CAMRA's credit that they repeatedly draw attention to this issue.

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Steven211 says...
7:02pm Sun 10 Mar 13

My mum is the chef there, you should go and try her food ;).

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Jabbadad says...
9:41pm Sun 10 Mar 13

I did wish them well. And hope they make a success of the venture.

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