Here is just a little info to let you get to know us better...
Here is a little potted history of our pub and the local area... if you have a spare minute or two and maybe a cup of tea (or is that a G&T), we think it's well worth a read.
The landlord William Mobsey in 1903
and his wife
The original building dates from 1733 and became a pub in 1785, but this building was demolished in 1900 when a fire partially destroyed the living accommodation and revealed the old house to be in an advanced state of dilapidation. The current building was completed in 1901 and for several years served as a hotel.
William and Anne's daughter had her wedding
reception at the pub in 1903
The list of owners of the premises, from Isaac Goodwin in 1733, sounds like a who’s who of local brewing history, and also reflects the national trend of bigger, regional breweries taking over from independent family owned-businesses. Bridge Brewery in Tonbridge, the Dartford Brewery Co. Ltd., Style and Winch Medway Brewery, Barclay Perkins & Co. of London, Courage and Barclay Ltd and, ultimately, Greene King successively bought the Greyhound, as it was then known. Brunning and Price took the lease and renamed the pub in 1986, beginning the transformation into the busy, bustling pub of today.
The Greyhound
We originally had the Hare on a tenancy from Courage, but after a year, they offered to sell it to us for £252,000, on a take-it-or-leave-it basis, no negotiation. We thought it was a fair price so we accepted. A few days later we were discussing it with 3i’s ‘Industry Sector Specialists’ in Birmingham, who persuaded us to write to Courage and offer them £170,000 instead. We heard nothing so we telephoned but had to leave a message. Still we heard nothing so we left another message. Still we heard nothing so we faxed. That was it, until a letter arrived telling us the pub had been sold to Greene King - and so we became Greene King tenants. Fortunately they’ve turned out to be a much better crowd than the national breweries, and apart from being nice people (or because of it), they make great beer.
If we hadn’t listened to 3i we would have owned the freehold outright, but we did, so we don’t. These days, we trust our own judgement. We duly plotted the experience on our learning curve, and beat ourselves around the head with it every time it comes to a rent review.
If you'd like to put a name to a face, allow us to introduce you to the crew...
Supervisor
If you've visited the Hare with your pooch, you have definetly met our wonderful Gill. Besides a warm welcome for our lovely guests, Gill will always be armed with a dog biscuit (or two!) for our favourite four legged friends. Gill's spare time is spent with friends, family and a beardy man (a nickname for one of our rose's, we think?). Whilst working with us full time, Gill also finds time to be the unoffical sponsor of Berroca!
Head Chef
Cool, calm and collected, our Head Chef Gabi has been leading the kitchen here since 2010. You can spot him wearing his favoured bandana in lieu of a chefs hat. At our Christmas party he revealed he can drive a tank, so if you've got one that needs moving, hes your guy! Gabi is a busy man with two little ones to look after as well as a burgeoning allotment.
Cleaner
Janet started at the Hare in 1987, long before Brunning and Price took the pub, and is a mother figure to the crew new and old. She is one of the rocks on which the pub is built, and when you phone the pub in the morning it is more than likely that she’ll be the one helping you.
