Landlord’s Witter

By Barry Fenton

An interview with a landlord from a local pub. This time with Jay Cutler, who runs the Greene King pub, the Prince in Crowthorne High Street, with his wife Becky. I was last here in February 2016 to interview the then manager when the Prince had just been refurbished. And here we are again after another major refurbishment..

Q. What has been done at the Prince?

A.Internally, we’ve taken a softer approach but using vivid colours and designs, all new furniture and lots of greenery/plants. The rear bar area is quieter with the TV only on for major sporting events. We have a new accessible toilet, (the only one in Crowthorne). A major part of the scheme is external, our new pagoda is fully heated, has soft furnishings, a big screen with speakers and is non-smoking and non-vaping. We have created an extra 16 covers on the pavement and we now have 30 at the side of the pub. So, much more space with two new service areas to speed up service.

Q. How long have you been in the pub business and at the Prince?

A.My parents took over a pub in Hastings when I was 10. After going to Catering College I took over my first pub aged 21 in Manchester. There followed a night club in Carlisle, pubs in Cardiff, Exeter, Southampton and others. I was given pubs to sort them out and then to move on. I left Greene King for a couple of years, Becky had our daughter and we then returned in March 2022 to run the Prince

Q. What do you most like about the pub trade?

A.The customers. I love talking. I can talk for England. I meet new people every day. I get a buzz. (Covid lockdown was a problem as I wasn’t meeting people!)

Q. And the least?

A.Customers who don’t respect the environment or property.