A Notts pub where the staff throw themselves whole-heartedly into the community has won a national award.
The Cross Keys is very much at the heart of the Arnold community - family friendly, dog-friendly and fund-raising for good causes - earning it the crown for Community Pub of the Year at the UK's Publican Awards, a celebration of everything great about pubs and bars.
Last year the pub’s community spirit really came to the fore, when local resident and regular customer, Lou Parr, fell down a flight of stairs at home one night and broke her neck.
Lou, a care home worker at Connect House in Nottingham, is a local hero having previously saved her neighbours from a car fire outside their home.
After the accident, which forced Lou to postpone her wedding day, staff at the pub, in Front Street, organised a superhero themed fun day to raise funds for her while she was off work recovering.
Lou was blown away by the support. She said: “I was overwhelmed, there were so many people in the pub. You don’t realise the support is there until something happens to you. So many people came together to help, everyone was dressed up and the kids loved it!”
General manager Justin Askew said: “The community really came together for Lou and it was great to see. She really is a superhero and we wanted to get local families to come together and support her after all she has done for people in the area.”
The open-plan pub is popular with locals and visitors alike. Described as a ‘little gem in Arnold’ by one happy customer, the staff are praised for being friendly and efficient.
Justin, who goes out of his way to make sure both parents and children feel at home in the pub, said: “We host lots of family fun days, with bouncy castles, face painting, outside discos and films to keep the kids amused. That way the parents can relax, safe in the knowledge that their littles ones are being looked after and having fun.”
The Cross Keys also organises a lot of fundraising events for local and national charities including Nottingham's children's charity Wish Upon A Star, Mind and Parkinson's UK.
Barmaid Karen Redfern, who has been at the pub for 27 years, makes homemade gift baskets which are raffled in the pub to raise funds. Her 'famous' coffees are also well known in the area.
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