Friends band together to return Rotherham pub back to its former glory

The Earl Grey, in Rawmarsh, Rotherham, has opened its doors once again to the public after being purchased by a group of friends looking to make a better pub for the local community by offering live music and events.

After opening its doors once again in June 2023, The Earl Grey has already seen success with its function room, as well as its traditional pub.

The landmark building had always been of interest to Matthew Fletcher, who had previously worked in the pub trade. Already possessing an alcohol licence, he felt it was a natural next step to manage his own premises, with the support of friends within the community.

The Earl Grey now offers a range of events and live music, aiming to be a pub geared towards the local community, as well as visitors from further afield who are looking to enjoy a night out.

Matthew has made various additions, including introducing a new Atlantic beer, along with Spanish beer, Cruzcamp. He also plans to offer Real Ale, which will change regularly, and bring in food, to be developed over the coming weeks.

Further developments include hosting a pool team, along with various other community events.

Matthew applied for a Kickstart grant from UKSE – a local investment company that provides finance of up to £1.5m to growing businesses and supports start-up ventures - which helped with advertising costs for events.

Reflecting on the venture, Matthew said: “We are still in the beginning stages of our journey at The Ear Grey but the support we have received so far has been amazing.

“The grant from UKSE allowed us to reach further audiences for our event and let the community know The Earl Grey was back with plenty of events, that support has helped us get off the ground and we are truly thankful.”

Steve Lyon, area manager at UKSE, said: “It is great to see The Earl Grey open its doors once again, and the success Matthew and the team have already found, we wish them all the best for the future.”

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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