The Hare and Hounds in Bowland Bridge, a few miles from Windermere, is exactly how you'd want a Lakeland pub to be. A pretty 17th-century stone building, whitewashed, with dormer windows and a view of the fells, it was originally a coaching inn on the route from Manchester to Glasgow. However, it is not looking its best today. We arrive in a proper Cumbrian downpour. The door is shut, curtains drawn, and no sign of life. A FOR SALE sign hangs on the front.
A Rapid Decline
"It's amazing how quickly a building starts to degrade when it's not being used," says Simon Rayner, former publican. He points to peeling paint, green lichen, unkempt flower beds, and forgotten beer barrels. Rayner grew up in Windermere and remembers stopping at the pub as a teenager for a Coca-Cola. "I used to stop and tie the horse up outside," he recalls. The pub was then owned by Liverpool winger Peter Thompson.
After 25 years in London, Rayner felt "hefted" back to the Lake District—a term for the homing instinct of Herdwick sheep. In 2020, he and business partner Andrew Black took on the tenancy of the Hare and Hounds. They opened in September 2021 after extensive renovations, offering a country pub with food and five rooms. The pub was owned by Admiral Taverns, acquired by Proprium Capital Partners in 2017.
Success and Struggles
The pub thrived initially, featuring in the Guardian's top 10 renovated foodie pubs and receiving an 8/10 review in the Times. Rayner and Black hosted events: Lebanese nights, butchery masterclasses, gin-blending, and drag bingo. A Wednesday night crowd of locals, including farmers from the fells, gathered regularly. "It was a place where people come together," says Rayner.
But profit margins shrank. Staff costs hit 35-40% of revenue, above the industry standard of 28%. Energy bills rose from £1,500 to £3,500 per month. When Admiral doubled the rent, it was the final blow. Rayner closed the pub on 2 November last year.
National Crisis
Pubs in England and Wales close at a rate of two per day, according to the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA). Over 2,000 pubs have closed since 2020, and 16,000 since 2000. Admiral sold 77 pubs last year; Stonegate sold over 100; Greene King plans to sell 150. Andy Tighe of the BBPA cites rising costs: employment, energy, food inflation, and high taxes. "Even really good operators running busy pubs can't make it profitable," he says.
Community Fightback
Locals, led by Martin Scovell, have applied for the pub to be listed as an Asset of Community Value. This would give the community six months to prepare a bid if the pub is sold. "Without it, social cohesion starts to break down," says Scovell. They fear the pub could become holiday flats or Airbnbs. Over 200 community-owned pubs exist in the UK, supported by Plunkett UK. "If we put a bid in and it's successful, we'll find a way of making it work," Scovell adds.
Former regulars John and Molly Wood, who lived across the road for 45 years, mourn the loss. "Now it's just dead, there's nobody about, it's awful," says Molly. Rayner feels he let people down. "A part of me feels I've let people down," he says. The Hare and Hounds, for over 400 years a warm haven, now stands empty, paint peeling, awaiting its fate.
