A crowdfunder has been launched to save The Rhubarb Tavern and bring it back as a pub and community hub.
Tara Clerkin and Sunny Paradisos – from Tara Clerkin Trio – are raising funds to secure the future of Bristol pub The Rhubarb Tavern, which is in Barton Hill and was the last remaining pub in the area until it shut in 2020. The building has been saved from developers thanks to efforts from a group of regulars at the pub who started up the “We <3 The Rhubarb Tavern” group, working to get the building protected status. Now, “with their blessing”, Clerkin and Paradisos are hoping to take on the pub, re-opening it as a community space.
The plan for The Rhubarb Tavern is to run it as a not-for-profit Community Interest Company which will operate as a pub as well as being a music venue and community space. As part of this, the pair detail that this will be open to a variety of community groups alongside hosting a programme of workshops and lessons there with a focus also on offering affordable options.
“We are passionate about the idea of the pub as a ‘public house’, it’s where the name comes from after all!”, Clerkin and Paradisos explain. “This means we want to create a space and environment where people from all walks of life feel comfortable and welcome, a home away from home, where we can provide something for everyone.”
In order to make this all a reality, a crowdfunder has been launched to cover the costs of extensive repairs needed to the building. “We’ve reached an agreement with the owners that if we can raise enough money to decorate and furnish it as well as the deposit, then they will fix the roof, plumbing, heating and electrics before we move in,” the crowdfunder details, outlining the work and costs involved in being able to re-open The Rhubarb Tavern.
Support the crowdfunder here. Head to the Save the Rhubarb website and watch the video below to find out more about the project.
