The centuries old Shrewsbury pub where staff go out of their way to ensure nobody feels lonely
As pubs struggle in the current cost of living crisis, the Shropshire Star continues its new series, Love Your Local, which celebrates our local inns.
Shropshire has a rich history of being home to pubs dating back centuries, each with a story to be told and a unique character.
Running a pub is not easy, especially the 600-year-old Kings Head in Shrewsbury, as Margaret Kate Downes (known as Katie) has shared. Nevertheless, it is something she enjoys.
Katie, 39, has worked in the industry all her life, following on from her mum; the Kings Head became available in 2018 and she has been there since.
Located at 48 Mardol in Shrewsbury town centre, it is owned by Sheldon Inns LTD, a pub management company with 22 sites under their banner.
Katie shared what it is like running the venue, especially one that is steeped in history and popular with tourists visiting from across the world.
Not only do people come to visit the pub, they also want to check out the artwork on display on the walls which are also believed to be hundreds of years old.
The historic artwork, Katie says is such a popular attraction: "It's a really popular pub within the community and everyone is so lovely in the area, but it is also really popular with tourists too.
"We get people visiting from America, Canada, Czech Republic, all over the world really, and it's because this is a historical pub hundreds of years old, and the artwork too is said also hundreds of years old.
"We get at least 10 people a day coming into the pub just to visit the artwork, it is amazing."
The artwork on display, Katie says, is said to be from around 1450, and she is looking to put plans in place to preserve it for years to come.
On the outside the Kings Head has a classic Tudor facade with the building hanging over onto the street. It is supported by metal beams which also date back centuries, and Katie jokingly says it can be quite scary at night as she can hear them creaking.
One unique thing about the Kings Head, Katie mentions, is that it gets flooded every year.
When asked whether anything can be done to prevent this, and what it's like running a pub knowing it will get flooded each year, Katie responds: "Due to it being right by the River Severn, every year around January, February and March time we get flooding in the pub.
"It hits other businesses in the area too, but we've got some measures in place to try and prevent major damage. We have taken some seating area out to prevent major damage, and we keep stock upstairs so it doesn't get ruined.
"It's the cellar that gets flooded first every time, so we have moved the barrels to prevent damage.
"We do try and stay open when it happens for as much as possible - it affects the businesses nearby to, but you have to do as much as you can."
Katie, who was born and brought up in Shrewsbury, has a great initiative she runs in the pub; if someone is alone in the pub, she and her staff go out of their way to make them feel welcome, offering to sit down and have a chat with them to ensure nobody feels lonely.
Speaking about this, she adds: "It's a scheme we have with our locals where people do not have to sit on their own.
"We offer to sit and talk with them, make them feel welcome and enjoy each other's company - some people take up the offer but some don't, which is ok.
"I had a gentleman the other day that was from Doncaster - he loved it in here and he enjoyed sitting and having a chat with us, so it's a nice thing to be able to do."
Thanks to Sheldon Inns having the pub under their banner, it has helped Katie a lot in terms of running the pub during one of the toughest periods in recent history for the hospitality industry, with the pandemic crippling businesses, and now the ongoing energy crisis delivering another blow.
She continues: "Sheldon Inns deal with the bills - they're dealing with the energy bills and they looked after me during the pandemic too.
"I actually had an operation on my spine just before the pandemic and they took care of me then too, so it's really nice to be able to have that security."
The Kings Head is open daily and is situated in the town centre of Shrewsbury, visitors to the pub can go and enjoy a drink, take advantage of their scheme where they offer to sit and chat, or even sit and have a meal, with the pub serving food too.
