Hunt meet at a pub... what would you expect...

[Henry02]

Hi, I'm hoping that some of you on here may be able to help me.

I have suggested to my local pub that it could possibly an idea asking the hunt along for the meet at the pub. I am well aware that the hunt could be fully booked up, or not be interested, but I thought it might be something worth investigating. (As I love the pub and I love hunting!)

However one question I know the pub would want to know, is, if you are meeting at a pub say, would you expect all the port/whiskey at the start to be free, as it is at other meets?

Sorry if this looks a little materialistic... but just trying to guage reponse/what the norm is!

 

[Mince Pie]

We hosted a hunt meet at our pub back in Feb, we provided mulled wine and cheap nibbles all on the house.

 

[Henry02]

Mulled wines a good idea... its not as expensive as bottles of whiskey! Thanks

 

[Kat]

Would be worth reminding the pub that the foot followers, and family of those hunting may well be happy to buy a drink while they are there. Also remind them that the hunt will return to the meet location afterwards so there may be the opportunity to attract people in to buy a drink afterwards too.

 

[Mince Pie]

This! Our hunt do a monthly dinner so came back and had a meal with us

 

[Henry02]

Thanks for the replys chaps (or chappesses!) The pub seem really interested in the idea... I am well aware that the followers, and people on the way back would hopefully buy a drink! What I didn't want to do was to put it to the pub, and them having to get loads of whiskey etc in, and it cost loads of money. But the mulled wine is a really good idea, and perhaps a special meal deal for the hunters/followers afterwards?

We basically need to get more people in the pub, and I thought this may be an ideal oppertunity to do this - but obviously the owners of the pub wont want to loose loads of money on hosting events.

 

[Kat]

A meal deal is a good idea, but suggest that they offer it from the time of the meet as there may well be parents and OHs eager to kill some time while their nearest and dearest are hunting. Especially if the weather is bad.

Make sure that there are hot drinks on offer too, not just the usual tea, coffee or hot chocolate either, maybe irish coffee and irish hot chocolate, and mulled wine.

 

[Maesfen]

Great idea but just a careful word about location.
Is this a village pub and is there a good safe car park where hounds could be held up along with the mounted field let alone other safe areas for cars to park? If it's a busy village with a main road running through outside the pub, they might not be in an ideal location but if that's the case maybe they could 'borrow' a nearby field and have it there instead.
Your meet cards might already be made up for part of the season but they should be able to fit you in somewhere during the season and will be very glad of the new venue.
Depends where you are in the country of course but some hosts have different ideas about who gets a free drink/nibbles. Some it's only for Masters and Hunt Staff, some it's just mounted followers and for most others it's for everyone who attends so they need to make their mind up which is going to apply to them.

 

[Henry02]

I have the hunt sec's number, and I am going to have a chat to the landlord this evening about what the hunt will probably expect (he doesnt know an awful lot about hunting). He can then give the hunt a ring, and try and sort something out.

The location/parking shouldnt be a problem - again will need to confirm with the hunt about what they will require, but I'm sure whatever their requirements it will be easily solved.

All the meets I have been to with this hunt, the freebies have been for everybody.

 

[combat_claire]

One thing we have started doing is a Pub Grub evening (bear with me here) - we liaise with our huntsman for possible venues where we are lacking meets and select suitably friendly rural pubs as Maesfan has listed the criteria. The plan is that having benefited from a hunt function they might be more willing to offer a meet in return the following season.

My local also hosts a meet on Christmas Eve. The hounds meet on the village green adjacent to the pub and our landlady provides mulled wine and nibbles for the mounted field. It is a huge local event. The horses are invariably decked out in tinsel or comedy antlers and many people see the hunt off and then head straight to the bar for a restorative drink.

 

[Henry02]

Our pub is very country friendly - many of the locals are farmers and shooters, but we dont get any hunters in.

There are some other meets that are reasonably locally, but they are all spread out across the year, so hopefully wouldnt be a problem slotting us in.

Christmas eve meet would be fantastic - but I suspect that has been booked already! Ideally a Saturday would be the best for the pub, as more potential customers, but am sure a mid-week one could be worked easily as well!

 

[Mince Pie]

We do the same thing on Boxing Day (as in the hunt not the pub!), luckily the pub is 10 minute hack from the yard!!

 

[BarmyC]

We often meet at the pub and pay for all of our drinks at the meet. More often than not we meet up at the pub afterwards for a hunt tea which is paid for by our members. We all take it in turns to provide a tea. So everyone only ever pays for one a season

 

[TBB]

All our hunt meets, with the exception of two (You have to be on time for those ones as they move off at the correct time), are held at pubs and plenty of people drink before they set off but in most cases they have to pay for it and the same at the end of the hunt, of course there is the odd exception. I think it is the norm over here and to be honest I thought it was the same in the UK.

 

[Henry02]

TBB are you in Ireland by any chance?

 

[Addicted to Hunting]

Sounds good, would just like to point out that at a lot of meets, yes the mounted field do get a drink for free, but someone has bought that, I know that one of are masters has bought the bottles from the pub that held the meet before.

 

[TBB]

TBB are you in Ireland by any chance?

What would make you think that? I wonder what gave me away.

 

[Henry02]

Most of the meets aren't at pubs over here!

 

[Lizzie66]

a lot of our pub meets nowadays are breakfast meets.

turn up 9:30 - 10:30 pay around £7 for a full English and then mount up for a normal 11:00am meet.

pub then tends to just provide port with a lot of folks buying their own drinks anyway.

MFH then tends to encourage folks to return for post hunting food and drinks

seems quite popular normally around 40-50 for breakfast is a good little earner

 

[jess_asterix]

We also have a lot of breakfast meets where you pay for a full english and most people will buy a bottle pf port between at table. Really good earners for the pubs and good fun to