Red Lion

THE ORIGINAL
COMMUNITY-OWNED PUBLIC HOUSE
IN GREAT BRITAIN

Although its origins and ownership grow less obvious or relevant with time, those who originally set out on the journey are still very proud to be able to share their now realised 1982 dream with you.

Martin King, the Whitbread tenant, had passed away in the summer of 1982 and Whitbreads were anxious to sell the Red Lion to another of its tenants who saw it as an opportunity to convert the pub into a Steakhouse with two dining rooms, three bar areas and the garden given over to car parking. Such was the alarm in the village that the then residents decided to form a company to acquire the business and its premises. Ninety two village families of the hundred and ten or so who were invited to join, subscribed for shares and debentures and the venture was under way.

A Board of Directors was appointed and an appeal went out to the villagers for their skills and talents to carry out the substantial alterations, repairs and refurbishment that were necessary. The work took the best part of three months and finally, on 19 March 1983, Preston's youngest villager, Gemma Newell, knocked on the front door of the Red Lion, for the door to be opened for business.

The spirit of the village initiative attracted national and even international attention. The story was widely covered by the national and local press, including the second leader of the Daily Mail. The BBC covered it in its evening John Dunn show and interviews by telephone were held for the press and radio in Melbourne, Australia. The story has featured several times since, on both BBC and Anglia TV.

Today, Rick and Trish own the pub and joined late march 2008. They have taken on the tricky task of moving house and running a pub at the same time but seem to have everything under control.

The pub was previously owned by Tim and Jane Hunter. Having won the Bronze Award the previous year, Tim and Jane were presented in 2003 with the national Silver Award by the Morning Advertiser for the best Cask Conditioned Ale, and have held titles as CAMRA's Pub of the Year in Hertfordshire in 2001 and, in 2000, 2001 and 2005 , as Pub of the Year in North Hertfordshire.

We have won the RNLI shield for our fundraising for that charity every year since 2000. The Red Lion annually hosts the Village Fireworks party and the popular fund-raising Harvest Auction, jointly with the Village Church, in October where produce and anything else it seems, is auctioned at absurd prices to support local charities. It is the spiritual home of the village's highly successful Cricket Club, a meeting place for its well-known band One-2-Many, ramblers, fishermen, shooters and three hunts. It is also a labour exchange, bank, a tranquil garden and, of course, a restaurant offering the best food and ales around.

Did you know? The Red Lion is the most popular pub name in England. There are over 800 pubs with this name. The name is derived from the heraldic badge of John of Gaunt, fourth son of Edward III who, during the last years of his father's reign and during the first years of Richard II's reign, ruled the country as Regent. As Duke of Lancaster, he was the wealthiest and one of the most influential nobles in England. After the accession of his nephew, Richard II, in 1377, John remained the most powerful figure in the government, but he devoted himself primarily to military matters. He died soon after the king had exiled his eldest son, the duke of Hereford (later to become Henry IV). John is also remembered as the patron of the poet Geoffrey Chaucer.