New kitchen installed at the Black Horse as High Barnet’s community-led pub continues to strengthen its neighbourhood support and appeal

After its re-opening as a community-led public house, High Barnet’s historic hostelry the Black Horse is now being fitted out with an up-to-date kitchen – the latest investment by the three regulars who set up a new company to take on the tenancy.

Since customers were welcomed back at the end of June following a lengthy closure, the Black Horse has gone from strength to strength demonstrating the depth of local support with an impressive record of well-attended charity fund raisers and events.

Prospects looked bleak last September when the premises closed unexpectedly.

Fearing the worst nearby residents succeeded in getting the pub listed as an asset of community value, but working behind the scenes, without any fanfare, were three former regular customers.

They established Barnet Community Pubs Ltd and succeeded in negotiating a year’s tenancy with Star Pubs, part of the Heineken Group, with a pledge to ensure that once again the pub would renew its links with the local community.

After what the trio describe as an incredibly busy summer, and on one occasion nearly running out of beer, they felt confident to take the next step.

They have made what they say is a “big investment” in fitting out the pub with an up-to-date kitchen.

Taking pride of place is a large new rotisserie.

Newly-appointed head chef Karl Omell was on hand to help with the installation – see above, from left to right, Martin Taylor, director who handles finances for Barnet Community Pubs, plumber Paul Kelly, James Rix and Karl Omell.

Work repairing and stabilising the front wall of the pub has taken longer than expected but should be completed by the end of September when the scaffolding will be removed.

Within a few days of re-opening, to reinforce their commitment to the community, the pub staged an all-day music event, “Hall of Sound”, in memory of the late Graeme Hall who had previously performed at local Open Mic events.

During the day there were performances from 17 acts, mainly duets, attracting well over 1,000 people, raising £6,000 shared between Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice, Cherry Lodge Cancer Care and Foodbank Aid, the charity of Graeme Hall’s wife.

Joint organiser of the event was Ken Rowland of Barnet Residents Association which had backed the campaign to secure protection for the Black Horse through registration as an asset of community value.

“The three directors of Barnet Community Pubs proved within a matter of weeks that, as they predicted, there is really strong local support for a community-led pub like the Black Horse,” said Mr Rowland.

“From what we hear they had something of a David and Goliath contest with Star Pubs to secure the tenancy.

 “There were six other bids but clearly the local effort to secure ACV recognition backed by a 4,000 strong petition was a great help and we are all so proud of how it has turned out.”

Mr Taylor said that he and his two fellow directors Simon Anderson and Danny Daly had been heartened by all the support they had received from the community.

“We have had regulars coming here for 25 years of more who told us they are delighted to be back in the Black Horse.  They had never seen the pub so busy or so friendly.

“We are taking every opportunity to connect with the area.

“We are sponsoring Hadley Football Club and from September we will be opening in the daytime as a community space where people can work on their on laptops with WIFI, just another example of the contribution we can make.”

For the night of the total eclipse of the sun, the pub bought in 100 special spectacles. “We are so lucky because the pub garden faces south and there must have been 400 or so enjoying the event with everyone sharing their glasses.”

A charity fund-raiser in August with events for children had raised £1,800 for the Hospice of St Francis charity at Barnet Hospital.

With space in the pub for up to 150 people for special occasions they were already booking in events with plans for a charity quiz night; a Halloween night event for children on 31 October; and a black-tie casino night on 7 November in aid of Noah’s Ark.