Rose and Crown, Croydon A London couple passionate about healthy eating may have a business model that could save the dwindling number of old English, traditional pubs in London. They have their heart set on saving their 300 year old grade 2 listed local pub but need a million pounds to make it work. "There is so much about the Rose and Crown that in our opinion make it unique - not just the age and it's original interior but also it's location on what is the nearest we have to a village green and right by the church and croydon's fairtrade shop" says vegan author Tony Bishop-Weston "but there are other traditional british London pubs in similar predicaments that could use the same community minded business model to ensure survival."
Croydon Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston feels this could so easily be a catalyst that transforms the community complementing concerts and recitals at the church and activities going on in the church hall such as martial arts and circus training.
Yvonne says "We've always loved the Rose and Crown and despaired that it never lived up to it's full potential. We were hatching plans to hire the function rooms upstairs when just after the smoking ban came into place it closed down. It is full of unique features and perfect examples of a traditional London pub. It really would be truly tragic for this grade 2 listed building to be turned into soulless flats. A huge opportunity would have been missed. There are so many 1960/1970 concrete eyesores in croydon that should be knocked down to make way for accommodation it would be an unforgivable crime to lose the Rose and Crown a building of huge character and history"
It could so easily become a blueprint for other struggling pubs to regain their positions as a hubs of the community instead of a blight .
With the right mix of
* a welcoming environment to families during the day
* offering great cafe facilities and live music as they do at the clockhouse cafe
* a fresh juice bar
* the best organic ales that independent brewerys such as Pitfields have to offer
* Meeting rooms for small community groups, natural health therapies and training purposes
* upstairs events space for larger training events, art house and independent film screenings, speakers and live bands - small weddings and birthday parties
* Arts space for local artists to exhibit
* an emphasis on multicultural healthy lifestyles, fair trade, organic produce and personal development
* Striving to create a space that is truly multicultural so no section of the community feels left out
This could be a huge asset to croydon and the community on every level as well as saving a valuable Croydon landmark with 300 years of heritage from becoming a memory