The 17th century Punchbowl Inn at Great Broughton has an inviting atmosphere and award winning beer, but it is the management that makes it stand out from the rest.

The pub has been managed by the Broughton community as a not-for-profit pub since 2013.

Kevin Killen, one of the volunteers, said: “There’s about six of us on a committee, we rely on a lot of the regulars as volunteers to help, at the end of each financial year any profits that we’ve made we give to local charities, cubs, scouts, brownies, the local junior rugby team, the school, the carnival committee, last year it was around five and a half thousand pounds.”

About 65 shareholders initially contributed money to tide the group over, but Kevin said that initial share capital has not been touched, despite plenty of work being done. There are new ladies and gents toilets, flooring, windows and they have revamped the cellar. It has all been possible from money generated by bar sales.

Popular landlord and landlady Albert and Shirley Charters, had the Punchbowl from the mid 70s. When Shirley died, and then Albert, Kevin said their daughter Sharron Rourke did not want to take over the running, but knew that her parents would like it to continue as a pub. She said if villagers could organise the running, she would go along with it, and the not-for-profit pub was born.

Mainly run by volunteers and one or two paid staff, the pub opens three days a week, on Friday from 5pm to 10.30pm, Saturday from 5pm to 10.30pm and Sunday from 12pm to 6pm. The committee meets on Monday, with Vernon Watson tasked with ordering all the beers, which they try and rotate amongst six Cumbrian breweries. The pub offers guest beers too.

Alan Topping, Tom Reay-Bennett and Kevin Killen cover most of the bar shifts, with help from other volunteers, including Linda Carruthers.

Kevin said the most memorable occasion was when the Punchbowl became CAMRA pub of the year in 2018.

It closed during lockdown and reopened on August 6. Kevin said: “Sharron and Terry Rourke, who own the building have been very very generous. We haven’t paid any rent since we have been closed.”

They have had to make changes to accommodate social distancing measures, and it has reduced their capacity from up to 60 people to 20, which has impacted on the takings. Though Kevin said: “We are luckier than other pubs in that we don’t have to make a profit to pay people’s wages, we just need to make enough to pay the bills.”

Prior to lockdown they had special food nights where regulars brought in food and shared it, including pie and sausage nights, Mexican nights and cheese fests. They also had a quiz team, but the whole of the quiz league has been suspended indefinitely. They sometimes have music nights.

Kevin thanked regulars for their support and his tips for a hangover cure: “What makes you bad makes you better.”