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From the
https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Katie Heslop, 18 May 2020.
Villagers give The Railway pub, Bow Road, Wateringbury, a makeover.
A family-run pub has received a makeover thanks to the hard work and generosity of village volunteers.
The Railway, in Wateringbury, which is run by Donna Bushrod, and her
two daughters Suzie and Whitney, was looking run down before five
locals agreed to transform the pub during lockdown.
The Railway pub before its makeover Picture: Suzie Goad.
Other nearby residents have also donated paint, bathroom tiles and
tools for the revamp.
Even Donna's own mum gave them material to cover the tired-looking
stools.
Suzie, 35, who usually works on the bar with Whitney, 21, said:
"These guys deserve recognition. When times are hard and things get
you down we all pull together and help each other, which is exactly
what has happened in Wateringbury. We will be forever grateful to
them."
There was talk of the brewery, Admiral Tavern, redecorating The
Railway before the pandemic but these plans were put on hold. That
didn't stop the family seeing if anyone would be willing to help.
L-R: Les Blackburn, Andy Kennedy, Steve Luckhurst and Danny Moore
have transformed the pub while maintaining social distancing rules
Picture: Suzie Goad.
Two of the group, Steve Luckhurst and Danny Moore, run a painting
and decorating business while Les Blackburn is a window fitter and
Matt Wickham is a landscape gardener and Andy Kennedy a chef.
All the work was done while maintaining two metres distance from
each other by working in different sections of the pub.
The group have spent the past month painting the pub's exterior and
interior, upholstering bar stools, varnishing the bar and mending
the outside furniture, all without taking a penny and working six
days a week.
Suzie said: "We are nearly finished. It looks fantastic. We can't
wait for people to see it when we reopen."
The Railway is the only pub in Wateringbury and Donna, 49 and her
offspring have been delivering food seven days a week, with a
reduced price menu, taking into account the financial problems some
might be facing.
Donna Bushrod (centre) with her daughters Suzie Goad (left) and
Whitney Wilson (right) Picture: Suzie Goad.
On Sunday, May 10, Donna, the sole chef, cooked 20 roast dinners,
and a pudding for just £7.50.
Meals throughout the week cost just £5.
Donna has been manager of the Bow Road establishment for two years
before taking on the lease in January, only two months before pubs
and restaurants were ordered to shut by the government.
Times have been tough and Suzie is unsure what the future will hold
for her family's business.
"It's a difficult time. When we do reopen will people want to come
and socialise in the pub because of the fear of the virus?"
She added that some might not have as much cash to spend at pubs,
because of money problems bought on by the pandemic. |
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