Sister establishment of The Wight Bear Ale House, The Saxon Bear Ale House, opened it’s doors to real ale lovers of Christchurch just last month.
Following the success of The Wight Bear, owners David and Nicola Holland wanted to introduce a second ‘Bear’ micropub, after customers explained that it’s what Christchurch needed, which led the couple to providing locals with the same great experience that can be found at The Wright Bear, in Southbourne-on-Sea.
The micropubs encourage conversation between locals and provide no electronic entertainment and punters are kindly asked to put their mobiles on silent while in the pub.
Nicola said: “Micropubs are very new on the block. They are very small pubs and they are filling up empty high street shops. The rules and regulations have made it slightly easier to get a premises licence and they were founded by Mr Hillier.
“He cut the ribbon for us. He opened the first one in Herne in Kent, at an old butchers, which gave it its name, The Butchers Arms.
She continued “Most pubs nowadays, there’s a brass plaque on the table and you feel you have to order food. All we do is pork pies, scotch eggs and chutney.
“It’s all about getting people to interact with each other.
“It’s also about real ales and we have no bar, which some people are thrown by when they first walk in. We have a blackboard with a description and the price, served by the Bear Beer Handlers. It’s a different experience.”