The New Clarence -"the beating heart of a community".

November 14, 2023 - Reading time: 2 minutes

At The New Clarence we set out to be a genuine community pub, with a range of activities and events that appealed to people across our vibrant city. It was more than just a place to grab a drink; it's where connections were forged, friendships blossomed, and memories were made. 

The New Clarence hosted all sorts of community activities: music events, meetings for clubs, charities,business colleagues and trade unions to name a few. We had local history talks, science talks, and comedy nights. We ran workshops for comedians and actors and provided space for groups ranging from adult fans of Lego, through Tolkien fans to poets and barber shop choirs. In the words of our customers The New Clarence was "the beating heart of a community", "a heartbeat space" and a place that "offered so much to many people".

The pub may be closed now, but there is a chance to re-open it, as a community owned and managed enterprise with that sharing philosophy at it's heart and the opportunity to build a successful community pub that works for the people of Hull.

This is the first of a series of five brief blog posts intended to help you discover how a community-owned pub fosters togetherness and amplifies the spirit of our local community, whilst re-writing the financial prospects for a pub business (especially in difficult times). 

In the second of these posts I'll talk about how community ownership empowers both the business and it's customers - and their community. In post three, I'll look at community pubs and social inclusion, before moving on in post four to the wider importance of saving local pubs. If you're still with us by post number five, (I hope you will be!), I'll look at how you can help us to make your community pub a reality (hint; it's not just about money!).

You can help us to create Hull's first community owned and managed pub simply by taking a couple of minutes to join the conversation about what it could be.