Desert Island Pubs – Mark Crowther, chairman of Portobello Pub co., The Pub People Company and Heron & Brearley
Mark Crowther, chairman of Portobello Pub co. and The Pub People Company
1. Earliest memory of a pub you can recall?
Although I grew up in Cambridge my parents would regularly take us on holiday around the UK. As a child I remember taking the sea tractor across to Burgh Island in south Devon where we sat outside the Pilchard Inn, probably with a Corona (Lemonade not the beer!) or a Panda Pop accompanied by a bag of Golden Wonder Ringo’s. The pub reputably dates back to 1336 and would have originally served the local fishermen, smugglers and wreckers who lived on the island.
2. Most inspirational pub to your career?
I started my career over 30 years ago as an area manager for Allied Domecq running the Firkin brew pub chain. The original acquired 12 outlets were a lot of fun with their on-site brewed beers, including Dogbolter, and a food offer that was focused around great home cooked food – ‘Fill that gap with a Firkin bap’. We opened many new sites converting Taylor Walker pubs, banks, and churches etc. However, my most inspirational pub from the start of my career would be the original Phoenix & Firkin above Denmark Hill railway station, where we won the Evening Standard Pub of the Year in 1993.
3. Your current local?
My current local is the Hop Pole Inn in Limply Stoke, Bath. I live in the next village and the pub was acquired and invested in by the local community over the past couple of years. It re-opened with Hannah & Charlie as the brilliant tenants three months ago. It is a 20-minute walk across the fields from home so you’ve earned a pint and one of their delicious homemade sharing pies when you arrive.
4. Your favourite pub?
When I am in the Midlands with The Pub People Company, Andy Crawford (the MD) and I often catch up over a pint at The Lion at Basford. More often than not it is a pint of Harvest Pale from the local Castle Rock brewery. It is a fabulous craft beer pub with a large beer garden in the suburbs of Nottingham. The cask beer cellar is two stories below ground level in a limestone cave. The team have to winch the casks down the brick lined porthole into the cellar. All that effort must contribute as to why the beer tastes so good.
5. The pub you’d like to take to the island?
Often a second home when I stay up in London with the Portobello team is Westow House in Crystal Palace. A fantastic corner site with 22 bedrooms, tasty home cooked food and a great beer selection from local and national brewers. My pint of choice would be a Portobello London Pilsner. When I get bored of hammock living on my island, I could then check into one of our suites for a bit of comfort.
6. The beer (unlimited supply) you’d take to the desert island?
I will always have a soft spot for Liberation Ale, the multi-award-winning Jersey brewed beer that we launched having led the buy-out of the Channel Islands and West Country business. But I would now take Okell’s Smoked Porter that Kevin, Okell’s head brewer, has created for their anniversary year. Okell’s brewery is part of the Heron & Brearley group and is celebrating its 175th birthday this year. Manx beers are still brewed to the original purity laws that were introduced by Dr Okell soon after his arrival on the Isle of Man. So this pure perfection beer would be from one island to another.
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