From Newsgroup: uk.railway

On Mon, 5 Jan 2026 10:53:27 +0000, Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk>
wrote:

In message <lg1nlk90v8heori8s0j4k5lsss98j4iphm@4ax.com>, at 09:36:50 on
Mon, 5 Jan 2026, Trolleybus <ken@birchanger.com> remarked:

Apparently you live near where Google Maps calls "birch-changer", so >>>depending on transport preferences either the airport or some village
pub near Bishops Stortford. I own a share of the one in Ickleton, but >>>it's closed for three weeks at the moment.

It's the Red Lion you're involved in?

It's been re-branded "The Lion at Ickleton", but yes.

Sorry, that's what I meant. On the 7 bus route.

I was leading the charge to get not just the pub but also our local
social club listed as assets of community value. It's a very good
scheme and there are now many pubs that wouldn't be here if it weren't
for that.

I agree with you that moving from the gastropub to something closer to
a traditional pub would be a good thing but there's a reason why the
former is such a common business model these days. Even so things have
gone too far. My pet hate is a pub that discourages you from even
ordering your drinks at the bar.
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From Newsgroup: uk.railway


Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> posted:

In message <m8VCr85ng5WpFAJj@perry.uk>, at 10:53:27 on Mon, 5 Jan 2026, Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> remarked:

In message <lg1nlk90v8heori8s0j4k5lsss98j4iphm@4ax.com>, at 09:36:50 on >Mon, 5 Jan 2026, Trolleybus <ken@birchanger.com> remarked:

Apparently you live near where Google Maps calls "birch-changer", so >>>depending on transport preferences either the airport or some village >>>pub near Bishops Stortford. I own a share of the one in Ickleton, but >>>it's closed for three weeks at the moment.

It's the Red Lion you're involved in?

It's been re-branded "The Lion at Ickleton", but yes.

For those unfamiliar with the local geography, Ickleton is a village
south of Duxford and nestles in the "Y" junction between the M11 to Cambridge and A11 to Newmarket. And is about a mile from the Genome
Campus. Nearest railway station Great Chesterford, but I understand
most London commuters use Audley End as a railhead.

And they drive there?
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From Newsgroup: uk.railway

In message <mkbplkpekvqurabha24h96qhd5vt82daa7@4ax.com>, at 06:46:00 on
Tue, 6 Jan 2026, Trolleybus <ken@birchanger.com> remarked:

On Mon, 5 Jan 2026 10:53:27 +0000, Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk>
wrote:

In message <lg1nlk90v8heori8s0j4k5lsss98j4iphm@4ax.com>, at 09:36:50 on >>Mon, 5 Jan 2026, Trolleybus <ken@birchanger.com> remarked:

Apparently you live near where Google Maps calls "birch-changer", so >>>>depending on transport preferences either the airport or some village >>>>pub near Bishops Stortford. I own a share of the one in Ickleton, but >>>>it's closed for three weeks at the moment.

It's the Red Lion you're involved in?

It's been re-branded "The Lion at Ickleton", but yes.

Sorry, that's what I meant. On the 7 bus route.

I was leading the charge to get not just the pub but also our local
social club listed as assets of community value. It's a very good
scheme and there are now many pubs that wouldn't be here if it weren't
for that.

I agree with you that moving from the gastropub to something closer to
a traditional pub would be a good thing but there's a reason why the
former is such a common business model these days. Even so things have
gone too far.

The thing is, back in the day people would go to a pub for lunch, or
drop into a pub if they were on the road. Not because it was someone's birthday and they wanted have an "evening out" to show off by buying a
u100 bottle of champagne.

Often lunch would be a sandwich, from a display cabinet on the bar. Time
to order and be served - less than a minute.

Now, with the more complicated gastro-menus, you need a 2hr lunch break
to cope with the time it takes to get served. And at u20 a plate, not
everyone can afford that every day. Which is of course why <thread convergence> people grab a meal-deal at the M&S at the petrol station, instead.

Some pubs still manage to be packed, and serve good value "pub grub",
the Five-Miles at Upware for example. But as the name implies, that's
also a "destination pub", not one for locals or passers-by.

The Lion is closed Monday and Tuesday, presumably because the chef wants
those days off (to substitute for Sat&Sun) but there's no reason they
couldn't have a sandwiches/ploughmans/soup-of-the-day menu, plus
obviously the bar. Shouldn't take more than two staff, with very little catering experience.

My pet hate is a pub that discourages you from even ordering your
drinks at the bar.

Some of that is a Covid hangover.
--
Roland Perry
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From Newsgroup: uk.railway

Trolleybus wrote:

I was leading the charge to get not just the pub but also our local
social club listed as assets of community value. It's a very good
scheme and there are now many pubs that wouldn't be here if it weren't
for that.

What is the upcoming change of rates likely to be, and the likely outcome?
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From Newsgroup: uk.railway

In message <10jiff1$3jtpa$1@andyburns.eternal-september.org>, at
08:00:28 on Tue, 6 Jan 2026, Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> remarked: >Trolleybus wrote:

I was leading the charge to get not just the pub but also our local
social club listed as assets of community value. It's a very good
scheme and there are now many pubs that wouldn't be here if it weren't
for that.

What is the upcoming change of rates likely to be, and the likely outcome?

I'm not sure Trolleybus is a shareholder (or even on the management committee). One of the issues with The Lion at the moment is the latter
play their cards very close to their chest. But is a question I might
ask at the AGM in March (the month, not the Fenland town).
--
Roland Perry
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From Newsgroup: uk.railway

Roland Perry wrote:

Andy Burns remarked:

What is the upcoming change of rates likely to be, and the likely
outcome?

I'm not sure Trolleybus is a shareholder (or even on the management committee).

Though I was replying to trolleybus, I was not necessarily expecting him
to reply to me.

One of the issues with The Lion at the moment is the latter
play their cards very close to their chest. But is a question I might
ask at the AGM in March (the month, not the Fenland town).

Not sure if the +50% numbers I hear about are the norm, or outliers ...

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From Newsgroup: uk.railway

In message <10jijiq$3l38d$1@andyburns.eternal-september.org>, at
09:10:44 on Tue, 6 Jan 2026, Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> remarked:

Roland Perry wrote:

Andy Burns remarked:

What is the upcoming change of rates likely to be, and the likely >>>outcome?

I'm not sure Trolleybus is a shareholder (or even on the management >>committee).

Though I was replying to trolleybus, I was not necessarily expecting
him to reply to me.

One of the issues with The Lion at the moment is the latter play
their cards very close to their chest. But is a question I might ask
at the AGM in March (the month, not the Fenland town).

Not sure if the +50% numbers I hear about are the norm, or outliers ...

The situation is complicated because much of the rise is due to the
removal of Covid reliefs, plus a general re-valuation of premises.

The Lion would presumably have been re-valued anyway, due to the change
in ownership after about two years derelict.

As far as I can tell from various online sources, the final bill might
be around u15k per year, which is probably 50% more than a similar place
would have been paying last year.

As I said before, the management committee aren't falling over
themselves to reveal management accounts to shareholders, but the total investment in the premises is closer to 3/4 million than half a million,
and annual turnover might be half a million (aka u10k/week). So the
rates on their own is a bit down in the noise level.
--
Roland Perry
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From Newsgroup: uk.railway

On Tue, 6 Jan 2026 08:00:28 +0000, Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk>
wrote:

Trolleybus wrote:

I was leading the charge to get not just the pub but also our local
social club listed as assets of community value. It's a very good
scheme and there are now many pubs that wouldn't be here if it weren't
for that.

What is the upcoming change of rates likely to be, and the likely outcome?

As a trustee I meet the club's officers regularly. There are various
exemptions they are able to make use of, it seems, and they don't seem
that bothered.

I don't know how the pub stands.
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From Newsgroup: uk.railway

In message <uubslk506tp54qmaha6gnakp83omus1s0d@4ax.com>, at 10:06:47 on
Wed, 7 Jan 2026, Trolleybus <ken@birchanger.com> remarked:

On Tue, 6 Jan 2026 08:00:28 +0000, Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk>
wrote:

Trolleybus wrote:

I was leading the charge to get not just the pub but also our local
social club listed as assets of community value. It's a very good
scheme and there are now many pubs that wouldn't be here if it weren't
for that.

What is the upcoming change of rates likely to be, and the likely outcome?

As a trustee I meet the club's officers regularly.

I email them from time to time. They never ever reply.

There are various exemptions they are able to make use of, it seems,
and they don't seem that bothered.

Those are what I took into account when making my u15k estimate.

I don't know how the pub stands.

Can't parse that, sorry.

This week they are justifying their decision to close for three weeks as
a result of things like fitting new fire doors. But they are always
closed all day Monday and Tuesday, so how long does it take to fit a
door?
--
Roland Perry
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From Newsgroup: uk.railway


Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> posted:

In message <uubslk506tp54qmaha6gnakp83omus1s0d@4ax.com>, at 10:06:47 on
Wed, 7 Jan 2026, Trolleybus <ken@birchanger.com> remarked:

On Tue, 6 Jan 2026 08:00:28 +0000, Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk>
wrote:

Trolleybus wrote:

I was leading the charge to get not just the pub but also our local
social club listed as assets of community value. It's a very good
scheme and there are now many pubs that wouldn't be here if it weren't >>> for that.

What is the upcoming change of rates likely to be, and the likely outcome?

As a trustee I meet the club's officers regularly.

I email them from time to time. They never ever reply.

There are various exemptions they are able to make use of, it seems,
and they don't seem that bothered.

Those are what I took into account when making my -u15k estimate.

I don't know how the pub stands.

Can't parse that, sorry.

This week they are justifying their decision to close for three weeks as
a result of things like fitting new fire doors. But they are always
closed all day Monday and Tuesday, so how long does it take to fit a
door?

And a new frame, and more than one?
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