The Coronation in Southville has made headlines in recent weeks over fears it will lose all of its outdoor seating.
It’s famous among drinkers in the south of the city for some of the lowest prices around - a pint of Bath Ales Gem from their cask selection currently goes for £2.50 - but prices will have to creep up due to the pressures on the hospitality industry. Pubs across the UK are battling soaring energy bills among other mounting costs, threatening the survival of many venues.
Ben Cheshire, 38, first joined as manager of the pub 10 years ago and became the owner in 2018 after taking over from previous landlord, Robert Hancock. A huge part of their business today is the covered outdoor seating area that occupies a small portion of Kingston Road.
Read more: Removing Bristol's outdoor seating is 'pandemic levels of bleak' for hospitality industry
“The fact we have it now has been absolutely brilliant,” Ben said. “Especially since my customers have changed. In the summer we literally have one group sitting inside at a time, because they’re waiting for something to come up outside.”
The temporary legislation was brought in during the pandemic to allow businesses to extend their seating while maintaining social distancing. Dozens of venues are set to be affected - with venues in pedestrianised areas like King Street and Clifton Village being able to retain it - and a petition has been launched to extend this law to next year to help businesses survive.
Ben continued: “It’s vital we are able to keep the outside so we can a) make a profit and b) not have it be a total loss. We’re going to be at a loss big time in the summer months as people won’t drink here.
If the petition fails, Ben will consider applying for a Traffic Regulation Order which would suspend the use of the parking bays if approved by Bristol City Council. It’s a costly venture, but it may be the only permanent solution for the South Bristol pub to retain customers in the warmer months with the outdoor seating providing around 80 per cent of its business during the summer.
“The industry has changed,” he admitted. The pub has evolved a lot since it first opened, but the biggest catalyst was the pandemic, Ben explained, which caused the clientele to shift. “Some of the older crowd stopped going out after that and others refused to play by the rules with table service, and they’ve never been back since.”
The Coronation team, which has grown from four to nine people recently, decided to stick to table service run taking orders through a QR code even post-Covid as it proved more practical for staff. This will remain in place on the condition that the outside area stays.
Now, Ben said most of his customers prefer to sit outside at any time of the year. “When it’s raining, they’re sitting outside. People like the extra space because we used to be such a cramped pub.”
The QR code system means that drinkers shop more as they can see all of the products they sell, and so the pub has introduced more drinks options like different types of gins. He has already had to put some drinks prices up - such as Thatchers Gold, Guinness and the Southville Session - but even if he loses the outside seating area, the prices won’t rise much more. Affordability is part of the fabric of the pub.
Ben added: “People will buy more when they realise it’s a quid cheaper here. It was the business model before from my old boss, Robert, when he ran the pub. So that won’t change. We still plan on being cheaper than everyone else.”
Pub cats, John and Danny, also draw people in along with their two resident musk turtles. It’s a football-free pub, so Ben has introduced other events over the years. This year was the first summer they hosted a street party, working with the neighbours to create a celebration for the first time. It was such a success that Ben and his team are considering a Christmas edition, subject to the necessary permissions.
The Coronation hosts a weekly pub quiz on Mondays and regular Saturday classes run by Tasha of Pot Heads. Staff are also running a clothes swap on Sunday, September 18.
For those looking for a bite with their pint, it offers an inclusive menu consisting of half-meat, half-vegan hearty pub grub, including burgers and pizzas. They’ll be bringing in a new menu in October and plan to reintroduce the popular Sunday roasts.
To sign the petition to save Bristol’s outdoor seating, click here
The Coronation is located at 18 Dean Lane, Southville, Bristol BS3 1DD and is open seven days a week
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