11/09/2020
Time to set the record straight.
Prior to lockdown the buccaneer was beginning to see an increase in trade of both wet and food sales, things were going in the right direction with regular music nights, quizz nights and entertainment.
The buccaneer was know as a pub frequented by a generally older clientel.
Post lockdown, many of the regular customers, being older, stopped coming in due to the covid situation health fears and government advise regarding shielding.
It was my duty as a business owner, employer and in receipt of tax payers money in the form of the government grant issued to pubs to try to keep the business afloat by trying to increase revenues to pay staff wages, rent and utility bills and taxes. If I had not done something the pub would have closed many weeks ago due to lack of trade.
I placed a projector screen, and monitor in the back bar, where people could choose music videos and a few more suitable lights to improve the atmosphere, with the intention of attracting a younger crowd to fill.the void caused by the older regulars not using the pub anymore for very understandable reasons.
I did not ever promote the change on social media as has been suggested.
As we know now, this approach worked, perhaps too well and initially we had a large influx of mainly younger people coming to the pub. In the first few weeks yes there were problems with some younger customers causing issues when leaving and a fight almost a quarter of a mile away from the pub.
Yes I admit I struggled to cope with the large number of people trying to use the pub and yes I admit that I made a few mistakes along the way in the first couple of weekends trying to deal with the situation.
However, I quickly, implemented change and used resources to tackle the issue.this included, hiring up to 3 door staff to control numbers, check ages, monitor social distancing requirements and controlling noise in the pub and when leaving.i placed many signs inside and outside the pub including a large 6 ft A Board, wrote letters that were handed out individually to customers and posted many many times on social media regarding the need to leave the premises quietly, be responsible and respectful to local neighbours and the community.
I closed on a Friday and Saturday night well before the required closing time to try to reduce noise, reduce alcohol consumption and avoid issues late at night.
I implemented a strict age verification policy with ages checked at the door by door staff and at the bar if bar staff had any concerns about a customers age. Staff received full training on age verification and covid risk.
I implemented a strict covid policy and adhered as best as I could under the very difficult circumstances to try to get customers to adhere to social distancing guidelines. Humberside police attended and had no issues on a busy Friday night with the covid situation.
I requested Humberside fire service to complete a risk assessment on closing the car park gate to contol numbers and once they had done so, closed the gates on busy nights.
Over the last couple of weeks things have improved vastly as customers had become used to the pub rules. Things had also settled down as numbers had reduced and they would have further as many young people will be going to university and colleges next week.
The powers that be, have reacted in my opinion in a way that has caused the closure of the pub. I myself called Humberside poilce a few weeks ago asking for a bit of support when customers where leaving to try to reduce noise , and was told "no chance."
The" problems" have been increased by the red hawk , and other local pubs closing early or as and when they feel like,resulting in large numbers of customers coming to the buccaneer when these places have closed.i implemented a no entry after 10pm policy at the buccaneer, however this in itself cauaed issues with people trying to get in the buccaneer, and then leaving disgruntled when they were refused entry
Some local resindents have of course had a very good reason to complain. It is of course totally unacceptable that anyone should be subject to anti social behaviour caused late at night and feel uncomfortable in their home or surroundings. And for this I sincerely apologise for the bad behaviour caused by a few customers leaving the buccaneer.
However, the buccaneer has become a target for some locals to focus on negatively, and a target for another local business to slander.
It has been sugested that i personality have been seen to sell drugs directly over the bar.i have apparently been selling alcohol to under age people and many other stupid and to be honest hurtful allegations.
This is of course far from the truth, yet has contributed to and resulted in the position that I now find myself in.
The brough rant and moan platform has been used to slander me , my staff and the pub and has been a very negative outlet for locals to use. I fully accept that the authors of the platform have had no direct input to the problem, however if you call a site, rant and moan, then I guess that's what you are encouraging people to do just that. Rant and moan.
The complaints, negatively, lack of support from "the powers the be", downright slander and vicious sometimes fictional reports and complaints from some locals has resulted in the closure of the pub.
Things were calming down and heading in the right direction, the pub had become a nice busy place with a nice group of manly youger people enjoying a drink and to socialise.
If i am guilty of anything, its been to do my job as a business owner, and employer and have done that with the support of a fantastic team who have worked so hard to try to.make this work.
I am now out of business, me and a staff member who live at the pub are out of a home and 6 people, one who has worked at the pub for 19 years are out of a job.
Everyone who knows me personally will testify that I am a kind caring and generous person who would not behave in the way that certain people have accused me of.
You know who you are and you should be ashamed.!
I wish the next person who takes on the buccaneer every succes for the future and would like to take this final opportunity to thank the vast numbers of people who have supported the pub, the team and myself, many have become friends, and for that i am very grateful.
