Four Candles micropub and brewery boss Mike Beaumont has taken on management of neighbouring The Albion Inn following the sudden departure of former landlord Marcus Hogg.
The St Peter’s Road pub – formerly The Little Albion and then Hogs Head – is being taken on by Mike temporarily, with discussions over its permanent future expected to take place after next month’s Folk Week event.
Mike opened The Four Candles in 2012, followed by the site’s microbrewery in 2014.
The pub was given the name because it was previously a hardware store and Sowell Street, where it is based, is not far from the former H. E. Harrington’s general ironmonger business in York Street, that is famed for stocking everything you could possibly need. It is thought the shop was the prompt for a sketch written by Ronnie Barker of the Two Ronnies.
Archbishop Welby made the stop as part of his tour of the isle which has included schools, churches and foodbanks.
Mike will be bringing The Albion Inn back to basics by removing the juke box, pool table and courtyard smoking area.
The venue opens on Monday at 4pm and will be operating the same times as The Four Candles – 5pm to 11pm last orders on weekdays and Noon-11pm at weekends. There will be no card machine so cash only payments.
Mike said: “We have agreed to keep it open until after Folk Week to see if the locals still want a regular pub as well as a successful micropub at this end of St Peter’s. The Four Candles remains unaffected but we think there may be a demand for a no-frills pub as well.
“We shall have music over Folk Week but make a decision about regular music slots after that. We don’t want to see the Albion Inn close. It has been here for 200 years so we’ll do what we can to save it.”
Former landlord Mr Hogg hit problems in 2017 after numerous complaints from residents about excessive noise, both from music and customers outside the boozer in the early hours.
Following hearings at Thanet council Mr Hogg was allowed to keep the premises licence and the right to have live and recorded music – but had to abide by a set of strict conditions.
However, he has now left the premises.
