A troubled pub has been rescued by regulars who have stepped up to create a family-friendly boozer they hope in time will become the “best darts venue” around.
The new management of Woodland Tavern in Canterbury Street, Gillingham, say they want “everyone to feel it’s a local they can enjoy”, as well as support other venues in the community.
It comes after the previous landlord was ordered to hand back over the reins after police accused him of failing to report violent assaults and making it a spot associated with “serious crime”.
John Anderson, 44, was later asked to take it on and in May he officially became its owner.
Despite not having experience of running a pub before, John said he overcame his initial hesitation after discussions with pub chain Stonegate and deciding it was better for a regular who could retain and build upon the parts of the pub the community liked.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “I’ve been coming here for years and last year they asked me if I’d take it on because it was in a bad place.
“I knew roughly what was going on but I still took a chance.
“Stonegate asked me just before Christmas and I looked into it and an advisor said it wasn’t worth it for me.
“Then when I got some actual proper figures, in March time, through Stonegate themselves, and we sat down and had a chat and it looked positive. So I decided to go for it.”
Darts was a part of the pub prior to the changeover, but now John has ambitions for it to be a hub for events, tournaments, and giving young players a chance to develop.
New dart boards and associated equipment of competition standard mean Woodland Tavern is able to host matches and rounds and become a stop on the darts circuit.
It will also be able to host live music, quiz nights, karaoke and other events alongside being a family-friendly pub.
John continued: “The darts was here to start with and that’s what’s kept it going. We’re just trying to build and build on that.
“It’s our ambition to make it one of the best, if not the best, darts venue in the area.
“Wednesdays and Mondays darts leagues we’ve got the younger generation playing in some of them and on a Saturday we have the ADC [Amateur Darts Circuit] darts, which a lot of the youth players are into that.
“So that just brings everyone in. And the singles league we have the youth playing in that, so it’s all mixed in together. So everyone’s welcome.”
Manager Kieron Else, 40, agrees the pub will be a real benefit to young darts players.
He said: “I think it’s going to do wonders for new players. With all the professional set-up we’ve got here now, once it’s completely finished, young people are going to come in here and have a set-up that isn’t available at the moment.
“We’ve got people that are behind us, in the darts community, that are supporting us all the way. So I’m hoping people will walk in and this will spur them on to try and have a go at it themselves.”
John is still keeping his day job with UK Power Networks, but says when he first took over there was a lot to do.
Even before he officially took over the pub he asked Stonegate if he could go in and start clearing things out, and he says for the first month and a half he was there everyday making improvements and dealing with the managerial elements of the pub.
But now the load has lightened with the help of the new manager Kieron who not only wants to rebuild the Woodland Tavern but assist other pubs in Medway.
He says the main hurdle so far has been to convince people the pub has changed and repair its reputation.
Keiron added: “My main aim is to bring back families into the pub. I grew up in pubs all over Medway, my mum ran them, and it was always a great place for a kid to grow up. That sort of atmosphere is what I’m intending on bringing back.
“Word of mouth goes a long way, and unfortunately when people hear bad stories they just tend to avoid the place because we’re all getting too old to bother with trouble.
“I’m the same, if I hear a pub’s bad news, I don’t go there, I wouldn’t take my family there because it’s not worth it.
“So we want to get the word out to the community there’s new people running the show and it’s family-orientated.
“The response so far has been really positive, we had multiple people coming up thanking us for taking it over and running it because there was a void in the place because of the previous managers.”
Police had requested Medway Council review the licence of the pub under its previous landlord following an incident in March last year in which it was alleged a customer at the Woodland Tavern was punched in the face by a member of staff after clapping their hands to gain the bar staff’s attention.
The victim fell to the floor and the staff member then kicked and punched them, rendering them unconscious.
Police were not called to the incident and when they later attended CCTV records of the incident were unable to be obtained.
The issues saw the landlord give up the premises and additional conditions imposed on the business which the new management have to work within.
While darts is a big part of Woodland Tavern, Keiron wants everyone to feel its a local they can enjoy and also wants it to be a hub for Gills fans on match day before and after a game at Priestfield Stadium nearby.
But he also wants to support other pubs across Medway as he knows the pressure they’re under.
He said: “I know how difficult it can be so I’ve come up with an idea of a pub union, not legally binding or anything like that, just like-minded people all in a WhatsApp group, landlords and landladies from across Medway and Dartford, helping each other out.
“So if The Sun in Swanscombe has a darts tournament on or a band, I’ll advertise it here, and vice versa. If they need a barrel to lend, no problem. Just helping each other out.
“Pubs are a dying trade and the only way we are going to survive is if we work together.
“I’ve spoken to 15 landladies and landlords across Medway so far, and it’s been exceptional, very positive from every single person.”
