Couple hope for a roaring success
Last updated 09:15, Saturday, 19 April 2008
The lure of living in Cumbria – and of running your own pub – was too much to resist for Charlie and Lorraine Carr.
They had decided to sell their Keswick B&B and move back down south when a friend suggested they should look at a village pub.
And it didn’t take them long to decide that taking over the The Lion in Ireby, near Bassenthwaite, was better than moving south.
“We had reached a point with the hotel where we either sold it, or invested in it and stayed long-term,” explained Charlie. “We had enjoyed nearly five years, but with more success came more work and we weren’t keen to take on more and thought of moving back south to be closer to Lorraine’s parents.
“We have a friend who lives in the village and he said we should have a look at the pub,” explained Charlie. “It has always been a dream of mine, but I never thought I would. We came to shut our friend Simon up, but when we had a look round we thought ‘this could be really nice’.
“We expected to come and say ‘it is not for us’ but we were pleasantly surprised. It is brilliant actually.”
Part of the appeal was the views and the fact that the living quarters provide enough room for a small studio for Charlie to resume his passion for painting.
The move was sealed when Lorraine’s parents urged them to stay in the Lakes.
The couple, who worked in advertising in London, lived in a village near Winchester with Gabriel, 10, and Roisin, 13, before moving up to Keswick in 2003.
The chance of enjoying village life again was a major factor for Lorraine.
“When we were near Winchester I got involved in village and school life and it was great. In Keswick we were so tied to the hotel, but I’ve already been to a WI meeting and it was lovely.”
Lorraine, 44, and Charlie, 50, are still learning the ropes, but intend to carry on where former pub owners Brad and Amanda Leader left off.
The beer policy remains locally-focussed and strictly real ale.
They aim to serve food on Friday and Saturday nights and introduce Sunday lunches, with the emphasis on home-cooked local produce.
“I was phased by pulling pints – I have never pulled a pint in my life before,” confessed Lorraine.
“The most popular local pastime at the moment is watching us pull pints, but everyone has been very helpful,” added Charlie.
“We just want to take small steps, do things well and expand as we go along.”
