The man who transformed a Ramsbottom pub from a boarded-up shell into the home of one of the top Sunday roasts in the UK has decided to hand over the reins of the business.
When Glen Duckett took over the derelict Eagle and Child inn on Whalley Road in 2011, he knew he wanted to do things a little differently.
In ten years, Glen and his team have turned the pub into a thriving social enterprise that provides disadvantaged young people with the chance to build skills and gain employment in the catering and hospitality industry.
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It has helped more than 130 people gain valuable work experience to date.
Since Glen’s overhaul, the Eagle and Child has also won numerous awards and accolades.
The pub’s edible garden - consisting of fruit and vegetables which are then used to create dishes on its menu - was recognised as one of the best beer gardens in England last year.
In 2017, the Eagle and Child was named as the Great British Pub Of The Year after critics applauded its views, food and atmosphere.
The inn most recently earned the Community Impact title at the Made in Bury Business Awards.
Throughout the lockdown, the pub provided more than 1,500 meals to the vulnerable, and has also provided food parcels and support to a number of local organisations in Bury.
Glen said now is the time for father and son operators Bill and Will Gallie of Gallie Inns to take over the Eagle and Child.
‘It has been an amazing journey for me from start to finish,” Glen said of his time at the community inn.
“I developed the concept at the height of the recession in 2011 and, five years later, adapted the business through a significant investment programme which reinstated the pub as an inn.
“Leading such a passionate team has been an honour, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, where we kept the business open to provide accommodation for doctors and sent out hundreds of meals each week to both punters and vulnerable people living in food poverty."
He said he will continue to develop community-focused regeneration initiatives, focusing on projects across Morecambe and Lancaster.
“I am looking forward to taking forward my new businesses and supporting people with their mental health recovery,” Glen added.
“I will be focusing my energy on Morecambe and I am excited to be working with the Eden Project already.
“I hope to develop projects that help more disadvantaged young people into hospitality, as the area benefits from the catalyst of regeneration that Eden will bring.’
The new owners, who also own the Holcombe Tap in Ramsbottom, have said they are ‘keen to continue the work Glen started 10 years ago’ as part of a social enterprise.
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