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"More Tea Vicar? No Mine's a pint today!"
The Reverend Peter Quinnell of Stratton Parish in Cirencester and Cherie Tancock, Landlady at The Plough in Stratton, Cirencester, will be swapping jobs for a day on Tuesday 1st July.
And much to Peter's dismay, the first job of his day will be cleaning the bar and stores area of the popular Cirencester pub!
"I thought I'd just be pulling pints and talking to the customers, but I suppose I'll have to go and invest in a pair of Marigolds," he joked when he saw what Cherie had in store for him.
Cherie will also have an early start opening the church at 7.15am, a working breakfast with The Rector's Secretary at 8.30am, a visit to two local schools, meetings with a Church Warden, and a post baptism visit. Her day finishes with a meeting of the members of Stratton Mother's Union at 7.30 in the evening.
"I never knew the vicar worked such long hours," she said when he presented her with a itinerary at a planning meeting at the pub yesterday.
According to Cherie, the original suggestion for this job swap came from the vicar: "He told me he had always wanted go behind the bar and I suggested that perhaps he ought to try it for a day," she says.
Reverend Quinnell said: "Although we have very diverse roles, we are still both serving the community in different ways - and it's not the first time I've worked behind a bar, I did a short stint whilst at Theological College in Oxford!"
This is the first time that Arkell's Brewery, which owns the pub, has welcomed a vicar behind the bar. "It's certainly quite unusual, but when you come to think about it, the jobs of landlady and vicar are not that dissimilar," points out Brewery managing director, James Arkell.
"Both have to communicate well, provide sustenance, be good listeners and provide a haven for those wishing to take time out from their stressful daily lives," he says.
Whilst Peter is behind the bar, meeting his parishioners in a different environment, Cherie will be visiting both her current regulars, and perhaps those she'll welcome when they're older.
"I'm going to be visiting two local schools as well as making some pastoral visits in the parish. Just for one day The Reverend's parishioners will be saying: "More tea, Cherie?"
Itineraries
Cherie's day:
7.15am Open St Peter's church and ring the bell. Walk through the Park.
Peter's Day
07.00am Open Church with Cherie
Telephone numbers: Reverend Peter Quinnell - Stratton Rectory: 01285 653359
A desire to serve his parishioners in a different way has led a Gloucestershire vicar to step behind the bar at his local for a day.
08.30am Working breakfast with Barbara Emmet, Rector's secretary at 9 Albion Street, Cirencester
10.00am Stratton Schoo - Class Assemly with class 5 (Mrs Anne Richards - subject: Cherie's work at The Plough
10.30am Stratton School- coffee in the staff room and meet with head Mike Hughes and members of staff and volunteers
11.00am Stratton Village Hall - Stratton playgroup - Carol Smith (leader). Story time with the children
11.30am Baunton Church - meet Andrew Hall (Churchwarden) and Alan Lowe (Health and Safety adviser) re: access to church
12.45pm The Bathurst pub for lunch
13.30pm North Cerney School - Bridget Goodrich, head. School assembly, Cherie to talk on her work at The Plough. Bridget to advice Cherie on school's progress.
14.30pm The Oxyard. Meet parish clerk and verger, Elmore Crump. A wonderful character who has lived in the village all his life
15.30pm Trinity Mill, Bagendon. Pastoral visit to Bill & Rosemary Duncomb ( & tea!). Bill and Rosemary were both missionaries in India for many years. Bill was an accountant and Rosemary a GP. Met in India and fell in love.
16.30pm Stratton for post-baptism visit with Vanessa Boswell who also has twins.
17.00pm St Peter's church to ring the bell and lock the church - with Reverend Quinnell
19.30pm Stratton Village Hall to meet members of the Mothers Union, Gill Keen. Talk by Ted Boxall - Jens and Lizzie's work in Papua New Guinea (One of the mission projects supported by St Peter's Church). Cherie to talk about her work at the Plough.
21.00pm Debrief down at The Plough!
07.30am Arrive at pub.
Clean bar. Discuss meat requirements with chef, and telephone butcher to make the day's order.
Telephone order through to Crisp man. Get tables ready, ice wine and make sure everything is ready for opening at 11am.
11.00-2.30pm Pub Open. Serve drinks, take food orders and keep customers happy and satisfied.
2.30pm Go to bank and Tescos to pick up extra food as required by Chef.
5.00pm Lock Church with Cherie Tancock - Landlady
5.30pm Pub Open. Serve drinks, take food orders and keep customers happy and satified.
Cherie Tancock, landlady of The Plough: 01285 653422
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Taw-Ny Owl Set For Flight!
Taw Hill Residents Association chairman, Mark Edwards, joined directors at Arkell's Brewery for the 'topping out' ceremony at the brewery's newest pub, The Taw-Ny Owl at Taw Hill in North Swindon on 12th June 2003.
With the external building work almost completed, the building contractors, Swindon-based Edmonts, will move inside to begin fitting out the interior of the pub, ready for completion and opening later this year.
At the ceremony, director James Arkell announced a number of new external features designed for the added enjoyment of customers.
"We've decided to build an amphitheatre outside, with a bandstand at the base, and we're also installing a waterwheel and a stream. With all these garden and water features, perhaps we ought to invite Charlie Dimmock to oversee the operation!"
Groundwork began on the site last November and development work has progressed steadily on the pub, which will include a function room for private and business use, a bar and separate lounge bar.
The Taw-Ny Owl is Arkell's second new-build pub of the 21st century. It is being built three years after the successful opening of The Jovial Monk at nearby St Andrew's Ridge in Swindon, now at the centre of its own thriving local community.
"Since the year 2000, North Swindon has almost trebled in size and there are still around another 5000 houses yet to be built here," says James. "But housing development isn't a community unless it's got all the infrastructure to support it, and we think that a family pub is an essential part of any new residential environment, as important as a local shop and other community facilities."
As work on the Taw-Ny Owl interior begins, The Brewery has also started the hunt for the perfect landlord.
"This is going to be a fantastic family pub with plenty going on, and it's an unusually exciting opportunity for an experienced landlord or landlady to develop the business just how they want it right from the beginning," explains James.
James praised the support received from Taw Hill residents and their association chairman, Mark Edwards. "Everyone, and The Resident's Association in particular, has been full of enthusiasm for The Taw-Ny Owl and we're looking forward to celebrating the opening with everyone, especially in this special 160th year of Arkell's Brewery," he said.
"The Taw-Ny Owl will certainly be the latest J 'owl' in our Crown."
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More about the history of Arkell's Brewery... |
Brewery Lights Up Peter's 80th Birthday with 'Moonlight'
2003 looks like being a spectacular year for Wiltshire-based Arkell's Brewery.
Not only is the family-run brewery 160 years old this year, but chairman Peter Arkell was 80 years old on 24th January and the Brewery has no intention of letting such an important milestone go by without recognition.
Over the last few months, and under a cloak of great secrecy, the brewery has not only commissioned a painting by well-known aviation artist Gerald Coulson, but the staff have also brewed a very special beer, christened 'Moonlight' as a tribute to his wartime experiences.
Flight Lieutenant Peter Arkell OBE, USAF Medal of Distinction, was born in 1923 and was studying at Oxford when war broke out. He joined the Royal Air Force and a distinguished career flying Lysanders was brought to an abrupt halt when he was involved in a serious crash behind enemy lines in Burma in 1945.
The special new ale has been called 'Moonlight' in commemoration of Peter's missions flying low level sorties over France in 1943, picking up agents in central occupied France during the full moon period.
Based at Tempsford, Bedfordshire and often operating from Tangmere to shorten the flight, the pilots flew a dead reckoning course to their first turning point, usually on the River Loire, using rudimentary navigating equipment.
In 1944 Peter joined 161 Squadron and accompanied the Lysanders to Burma where he flew 35 successful but dangerous missions supplying Force 136 behind the Japanese Lines. After his crash, he spent a year in hospital before being invalided out of the RAF.
When he recovered, Peter went to learn the brewing trade at Hammonds Brewery in Yorkshire, which was taken over by Tadcaster Tower Brewery where he became a director.
In 1954 he was called to join the family firm in Swindon as a director and became chairman in 1971.
Awarded the OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 1997, he once said: "My initials are 'PA' - Pale Ale. I was born in the brewery and I married a brewer's daughter. I'm in it up to my neck!"
Peter now lives with his wife, Anne, near Cirencester in Gloucestershire.
His son, James Arkell, now managing director at the brewery, said: "We are all incredibly proud of Peter and his amazing achievements, both during the war and his sharp business sense which has made the brewery what it is today. We wanted to mark this very special birthday the best way possible by brewing a special beer and the commissioning of a painting to celebrate a time in his life which encapsulates his courage and personality."
The beer, which is 5 per cent ABV (Alcohol by Volume) has been brewed by Arkell's head brewer, Don Bracher, who has used a special blend of malts, making the beer a beautiful moonlight colour and a variety of hops to give it a lingering taste and aroma. The labels not only give an explanation of the beer's special history, but also carry a reproduction the painting, entitled: "He Landed By Moonlight".
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More about the history of Arkell's Brewery... |
Dart's Legend Pulls Out of New Pub Opening
Phil Taylor, who was booked and confirmed to do a darts demonstration at Arkell's pub, The New Inn, Stratton in Swindon tomorrow has pulled out at the last minute.
According to his PR company, they had overlooked the fact that he is sponsored by another brewery and they pulled his appearance at the last minute, leaving disappointed fans who were hoping to see him in action tomorrow.
When asked why they had agreed to the appearance in the first place, the PR claimed that they hadn't realised Arkell's was a brewery.
A spokesman for Arkell's said: "We are really disappointed that, having gone to the trouble of booking a great darts player like Taylor to appear, weeks in advance, his PR company couldn't be bothered to look at the letter sent by Arkell's Brewery confirming the appearance, properly."
Luckily, former World No 1, Steve Beeton, has come to the rescue and will be appearing at The New Inn from 7.30pm on the opening night.
The New Inn will reopen as a Sporting Pub on 26th June, and although Phil Taylor won't be there, international darts players Ronnie Baxter (who's actually an Arkell's landlord!), and Dennis Smith will also be appearing, as well as Steve Beeton.
Phil 'The Power' Taylor
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Vicar and Arkell's Landlady Swap Jobs
Gloucestershire vicar, The Reverend Peter Quinnell of Stratton Parish in Cirencester and Landlady at Arkell's pub The Plough in Stratton Cirencester, Cherie Tancock, are swapping jobs for a day on 1st July when the Reverend is going behind the bar to pull pints of real ale for the day and Cherie will be finding out how hard a vicar works.
According to Cherie, the original suggestion came from the vicar. "He told me he had always wanted to have a go behind the bar and I suggested that perhaps he ought to try it for a day," she says.
Reverend Quinnell said: "Although we have very diverse roles, we are still both serving the community in different ways."
Whilst the Reverend is pulling pints on Tuesday 1st July, Cherie hopes that she will be reading stories to local school children, as that is one of the vicar's jobs each Tuesday.
"I'd also really love to read a lesson in church so I hope that happens too," she said.
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