This week, I went to the village of Lea to speak with Jake Buxton, a former football player for Burton Albion and Derby County, who recently purchased the Jug & Glass, the village’s local pub. After the previous owner retired, it had been closed for some time. Jake has taken over to bring back the pub, which he hopes will become an important part of the community.
Jake Buxton is not like most modern football players, as anyone interested in the game knows. He is incredibly grounded and was known to show up for training with his boots in a carrier bag. Jake was a traditional center-half who loved vintage Land Rovers and a few beers at his local pub. He was also a family man. It turns out that he also has a fondness for historic properties, which is how the entire tale comes together.
Built in 1781 by Peter Nightingale junior, the son of the original Peter, who brought prosperity to the area through lead mining, the historic Jug & Glass was once a row of weavers’ cottages. There is a lot of history connected to both the pub and the village. After passing away childless, Peter Junior left his estate to William Shore, who was related to his sister. William Shore changed his name to Florence Nightingale and was the father of the famous Florence, who lived in the area her entire life. For Jake, that was part of the appeal. Let me turn to him.
He claims to have lived in Cromford, Wessington, the upper part of Tansley, and Dethick for a considerable amount of time. “I enjoy renovating historic buildings; I’ve done a few, and my current Dethick home is absurdly old. I’ve always enjoyed a few beers as well, and this is one of my favourite places to unwind in the pub. It’s unfortunate that it has been closed. It shut down in July of last year. I had discussions with Roy Fretwell, who had owned the pub for approximately forty years, about taking it over after he retired.
You just want your local to be open, so it was okay with me that it appeared like I had lost out on the chance and that someone else would take it on. Then, without warning, an opportunity presented itself, and I opted to seize it.
Yes, he has undoubtedly heard from some people that he must be crazy to go up against a pub at this time. He acknowledges this, though, and says, “I understand that.” “I understand that the industry is having difficulties, but I think this will take time. It’s what I bought for my boys. I anticipate being involved for a while because I wanted to leave something to the kids when my time is up.
“And sure, I am aware of the legends about former football players working as postmen or taking on pubs after their careers end, but what really convinced me to make the move was probably my connection to this village and this particular pub. It’s true that you shouldn’t run a business with your emotions, but part of me wants to open the pub for everyone in the village. Although we are aware that this is a challenging period for bars, there are plenty of establishments that are doing it well.
It should come as no surprise that Jake plans to make minimal changes to the Jug & Glass: He says, “You could change a lot if you wanted to.” But it had to remain as it was if you wanted a nice, cosy, traditional country pub. I want it to feel cosy and warm when people drop in for food or a pint. There will be a limited menu and excellent cask and craft beers available. We always have an open fire or log burner going in the winter, and on the weekends we have entertainment. Dogs and families are welcome!
“I’m eagerly anticipating the encounter. He’s now a prominent figure in Derby’s youth team coaching, so it’s a great opportunity for me to do something outside of my day job. The fact that the villagers have a pub is what matters most; time will tell if it was a wise investment or not.
Thus, who will oversee the daily operations of the pub? Jake still goes to see one of his former locals for the answer to that. The highly skilled licence holders of the Boat at Cromford, Dave and Lorraine Mountford, have consented to assist.
“I had a good relationship with Dave and Lorraine and the Boat was my local when I lived at Cromford,” says Jake. “I’ve always thought of the Boat as a fantastic pub where everyone is welcome. It was okay for me to walk in there with muddy boots after walking the dogs. I received a call about the Jug & Glass being available when this opportunity arose, and the following evening, I was in the Boat and we spoke. Although I don’t have any experience managing a pub, I do know how I want the place to feel and interact with good people. Additionally, Dave and Lorraine have an incredible experience.
As the Mountfords walk away from Jake, Dave says, “Jake bought the pub on the understanding that we would run it.” Furthermore, we wouldn’t have done it for anybody else. We are certain that he is acting appropriately in this situation.
Their confidence seems well-placed to me. There will be an evening for locals, from Lea, Dethick and Holloway, to go along and offer their thoughts on how things should be at the pub, then the initial reopening will be for Friday, May 3. From there, things will be phased, working towards seven-day opening and, hopefully by June, getting the pub’s five en-suite bedrooms ready to letting again.