A Chorleywood resident has decided to change the use of the village’s much-loved pub to only serve drinks from now on.
Jeff Hall and Rhonda Oakley, owners of The Rose & Crown pub on Old Common Road, have made the decision to have a less stressful and busy working life.
Speaking to ChorleywoodNews, Jeff said: “We decided after what has been happening over the past year that we are just going to run it as a bar. We’ve always had high quality food and drinks, but it is going to be just high-quality drinks now.
“It’s a lifestyle thing, we had all this time off due to the pandemic and I’m getting old… like everybody… and I thought I don’t want to be there all day. We’ve been at the pub for 25 years and it’s been really good.
“Having some time off and thinking that there is another life apart from running a restaurant\pub I just realised that’s what I wanted to do. Who knows how it will go, but I think it will work.
“We have a very good crowd of people that come in and enjoy having a drink, we have a lot of regulars and I’m sure they will support us. Of course, not everybody in the village will be happy with the decision but you can’t please everybody.”
Jeff said he is thinking of not opening the pub during lunch time. During the week it will be open afternoon and evening, weekends instead it will be open all day.
The Rose & Crown re-opened for outside drinking, in line with government guidelines, on April 16.
The owner is now looking forward to being able to serve customers indoors starting from May 17.
He added: “The weather hasn’t been exactly fantastic, but it’s been good since we reopened, better than I expected.
“Looking forward to serving people inside, at the end of the day we live in this climate and it’s been a bit difficult, but locals have been very supportive through the rain and hail.
“Now it’s down to myself, staff and customers to make it work, we will try to please the majority of people.”
Talking to customers, Jeff said: “Please come in and enjoy yourself. Come in and be happy because we had a terrible year, which is not quite over yet.”
Resident Roger Foord commented on the decision saying: “We all know the only way pubs these days can make money is to have food.
“It will be back to the good old days of a local pub if Jeff and Rhonda can make it work at the Rose. The only proper pub in the village!”
Very fond memories of the Rose & Crown pub from my childhood growing up on Colleyland in the 1960s. I remember the owner back then was a Mr Reece. They had a great dane called Sheba and a daughter Christine who was my first girlfriend (we were 7!).
We lived in Chorleywood in 2000 to 2003 as American stationed there in Chorley Gate house we would walk up to the top of the hill to The Rose and Crown for some of the best food We’ve had! Raspberry duck, our son never wanted the sauce and Rhonda prepared the dish to his liking.
Beer was always put in refrigerator for husband sine Americans like cold beer. We were treated very well Jeff was a great host. Miss Rose and crown Susan and Kurt the Yanks.