A sad state of affairs and reflection on the era, to see village pubs dilapidated and closed, once thriving hubs of a community. I thought this as I drove past Bottlesford’s Seven Stars just the other day, for it was the last pub standing within the Woodborough area, aside from a hike into Pewsey or Honeystreet. Fear not helpless peasant drinkers, as the Gazelle & Herod reports, the billionaires fly in to save us!
Is it a bird? No. Is it a plane? No. Gawd bless yer Lady Loretta Rothschild, trouble n strife of financier Lord Nathaniel Rothschild, for according to the rag, she’s only dun gone brought the gaff, n saved a community from remaining sober!
A spokesperson for Lord Rothschild told the Financial Times, “the pub is a critical part of the local community, and it was on Lady Rothschild’s initiative that the decision was taken to save it.”
Interestingly, the article points out only a fraction of rural pubs are being brought out by “Wiltshire’s ultra-wealthy,” but points to Ramsbury’s Bell, owned now by H&M shareholder Stefan Persson, with a $25 billion fortune and American Center Parks VP Chad Pike, who bagged the The Lamb at Edington, and turned it into the Three Daggers.
The fate of other failing pubs may not be so secure. Ours is now a shop, welcomed by villagers despite the fact we already had a community shop which failed, attached to the once pub, which also failed. I figured it was a shame, though I might poke my snozzle in, might not, but upon a Facebook post stating it had a “beer cave” I was there in 30 seconds; at least I can drink at home. One nil to affordability over social interaction.
Some pubs remain lost causes, empty shells of what they once were, some converted to flats, many ironically turned into antique shops. They can often start bringing in antiques before you’ve had time to finish up your pint! What a shabby state of affairs and I suppose I should welcome “the Clarkson syndrome” of billionaire buyouts, but do we know whose mouths are we feeding when we buy a drink in our local pub? Ones whose plates are already stacked?
Oh no, herein strides another socialist wordsmith in his work boots, dribbling a peasant’s revolt rant; more Snot Tyler than Wat.
Us hoi polloi must accept we’re nourishing the already bulging wallet of a nationalist tyrant when we drink at ‘Spoons, but do it anyway to save ourselves a penny. Are these billionaire buyouts going to likewise offer cheap booze, when they’re located in affluent areas and alone in the market? Doubtful, even though they could potentially afford to. And if they don’t, is it fair to question their real motives for buying the places?
Are they really the heroes here? Or are they merely profiteering, extending their already plentiful wealth? Spreading their assets for tax purposes, perhaps? Don’t ask me, do I look like Mr Monopoly? I can barely afford half a soda water in these places, let alone buy the gaff!
But souls will be watered, I guess. It’s good news pubs return and that’s all we need to know. Billionaire’s would buy their way into heaven, if Mark hadn’t said “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” stop on, Mark, just because it’s your round!!
devizine.com 