Local watering hole enjoys a good community spirit and lots of happy memories
REGULARS raised a glass to Cath Brosnan who celebrated 30 years as owner of the Dog and Partridge pub last Saturday.
Alcester’s longest serving owner took over the pub in 1994, aged 33, and was joined by well wishers at the Dog and Partridge for an evening of live music, good food, happy memories and lots of familiar faces at the popular watering hole.
While Cath can’t quite remember the price of a pint 30 years ago she reckons she’s pulled a few beers during that time which has seen changes to the licensing trade.
“Often people would go to the pub or off licence to buy a drink and there were different licensing laws as well. My father Bill and my mother Pat were both long serving in hospitality and we moved from Kidderminster to the Alcester area in 1981. My father took over the Moat House Inn in Kings Coton in 1989 and my sister and I used to help out and work there. I learnt my trade in Leamington and Stratford with Oddbins and then onto the Dog and Partridge,” Cath said.
There have been a few famous people who’ve enjoyed a drink at the pub including actor David Bradley and a couple of footballers and on that subject, the Dog and Partridge sponsor Alcester Town Football Club the players of which regularly enjoy a post-match tipple among friends at the pub.
“It’s very much a community pub and I’ve been here thirty years, 20 of those with my partner, Steve Watson. Some of the staff I employ now are the kids of regulars who have drunk here for years so I must be doing something right,” said Cath.
When she’s not behind the bar, Cath enjoys going for a nice meal and socialising and admits that her particular favourite drink is a nice glass of wine – white or red, it doesn’t matter.
With her 30th anniversary marked in memorable style last weekend she says she has no other plans and is happy to carry on doing what she’s doing.
“It’s not for everyone and you do work 24/7 but I knew what it involved when I first started. We’ve seen changes like the smoking ban, the recession and the pandemic but you can only make it how you want it to be and it’s so good to have great regulars as well,” Cath said.