Watch as Manager of the Woodbourne Hotel Trevor Latus talks to us about the warm space initiative - 'Woody Club'
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00:00My name's Trevor Latus and I'm the manager of the Woodburn Hotel.
00:04And Trevor, we're in the Woodburn today because I thought I'd come along to one of your warm space initiatives
00:09that's been set up in the Woodburn for quite some time now.
00:12Yes, we started back in the end of March, beginning of April this year.
00:17What was the decision to set it up?
00:19It was a conversation with my boss, Stephen Taylor, who's the managing director of Oakle's Inns,
00:28and he challenged me to find an initiative.
00:34So we had a look around and there's an awful lot of chimney pots around this place.
00:40And when you're walking around here, especially during wintertime,
00:45and that was initially what we set it up for, was a winter thing.
00:50But we said, no, we'll start it and go through spring and summer and see where that takes us.
00:57And it's took us to great heights.
00:59We just imagined people sitting behind the doors and closed curtains.
01:06Some people may not be able to afford to put the heating on.
01:09You know, some people might not be eating properly.
01:12So we said, let's invite people down and we'll give them a bit of lunch.
01:18We'll give them as much tea and coffee as they want and it'll be warm.
01:22And what's the response been from the community? How popular have you been here?
01:25Absolutely fabulous. Really has.
01:28It took me by surprise. Really did.
01:31You know, I never expected it to take off as well as it did.
01:36And we've levelled out and we get on average now probably 20 people every week.
01:42Wow, that's something though, isn't it? 20 people.
01:44So, you know, we've got an awful lot more potential within this thing.
01:49Is it 20 people from around here or do they come from all over?
01:52They come from all over. Oncombe. About four people come from Oncombe.
01:57But I'd say the majority come from Douglas.
02:00And these people, are they regulars? Do they come back?
02:03No, they just come every week.
02:05Oh wow, so they do.
02:06Every Thursday.
02:07Yeah, and they come in here and what do they say about it?
02:10Do they think it's a brilliant initiative?
02:12No, they love it. They love it, yeah.
02:14They think I'm a bit cheeky.
02:17But they do. They love it. They love the social side of it.
02:21We had one lady who had to drop out.
02:24She moved back to England and she sent us a lovely card
02:28and just says, please keep in touch via email.
02:32And she says, can I come if, when I come back to the island visiting,
02:36can I come back in? And absolutely.
02:38That's brilliant. You've clearly had an impact then.
02:40And what do you think about maybe this expanding
02:43so other places maybe consider doing this?
02:46I would keep it just for myself in here.
02:50If any other pubs want to do it,
02:52I'll give them as much help and advice as I possibly can.
02:56Brilliant. And would you say pubs,
03:00I always think pubs as the heart of the community,
03:03even in the evening time, you know, you finish work,
03:05people come in for a beer, they chat to people,
03:07not necessarily people they know or they've come to the pub with,
03:10but they get chatting to different people.
03:12The 20 people that are coming to your,
03:14or the people who are coming to the initiative,
03:16do they chat to each other, do they get along?
03:18Absolutely.
03:19And do you think that's one of the big things for them, the community?
03:21Of course it is. Of course it is. That's everything.
03:24Like I said in the earlier statement, you know,
03:26you don't know how many people are sitting behind their own curtains,
03:31nobody to talk to, you know.
03:34So this has been, it's been a great eye-opener.
03:37And I think a lot of people, we can get a lot more people in,
03:42but the people themselves have got to get over this,
03:47which I believe is holding them back,
03:51that they're coming into a pub on their own.
03:54And once they come in, they don't go, they come every week.
03:59It's just making that initial step, you know,
04:02come in guys, come and join us.
04:04Exactly.
04:05And you'll see what a friendly bunch everybody is.
04:08Yeah.
04:09You know, and there's loads of things to do, you know.
04:12It's a silly little game up on the fireplace there, you know.
04:18Yeah, that's brilliant.
04:19Just things to do.
04:20They just love it.
04:21Talk about, and they can talk to people,
04:22and that's one of the big things, isn't it?
04:23Of course it is.
04:24I think there's a lot going on.
04:26Obviously it's really helping people in winter with the heating bills
04:28and stuff like that.
04:29But another almost crisis we've got, I think,
04:31is people communicating and talking to one another.
04:33That's right.
04:34And things like this initiative.
04:35It brings people into the pub and they get chatting to each other
04:38and people are suffering alone, aren't they?
04:40There's so much now with the suicide rates going up,
04:42things like that, people on their own.
04:44It's so nice that there's a place now in the mornings
04:46for people who live near here and further afield.
04:48They can come in, chat to each other, and maybe put their worries behind them.
04:52Even if they've got big concerns and big issues going on at home,
04:55maybe coming in here.
04:57Even if it's just for that five hours between 10 o'clock and 3 o'clock,
05:00I think it's a massive help.
05:03And if anybody's got any problems,
05:05I'm not saying I'm qualified by any stretch of the piece,
05:09but I'm a great listener.
05:13And I think a lot of the people who come in here,
05:17they're all good listeners.
05:19They're some really, really good, strong, solid people.
05:23So what would your message be to people who are perhaps
05:25considering coming along but haven't made that first step,
05:27like you say, yet?
05:28What would you say to them?
05:29Shut the door and come in here.
05:31Yeah, keep warm as well.
05:32It's nice and toasty in here.
05:33I could get used to this.
05:34I could come up every Thursday.
05:37I'd say we put some sandwiches on at lunchtime.
05:40Fantastic.
05:42Whatever's left, you can always take some home for your tea if you want to.
05:45Brilliant.
05:46You know, we've got one lady,
05:48a very special mention to a lady called Barbara Schimming.
05:52And she makes us two big trays full of cakes every week.
05:57You know, the work that that lady does is just phenomenal.
06:00And that's incredible, isn't it?
06:01Yeah.
06:02And people will come back just for the cake, if anything.
06:04Absolutely.
06:05Absolutely.
06:06And just one more as well is a guy called Gerry McGinn,
06:12who works out of Gale's Fair in Peel.
06:16Yes, yeah, yeah.
06:17They travel from Peel to here every week to bring sandwiches.
06:21Wow.
06:22And, you know, that's a fabulous pat on the back to them guys.
06:26And that just shows the community we've got here on the Isle of Man, I think.
06:29Yeah.
06:30You wouldn't get that many other places, would you, that they're travelling to and from,
06:32just to help provide for you guys?
06:34Just to help us, you know.
06:37Yeah, they're a great little company.
06:40I put a post out on Facebook, social media, a couple of weeks ago.
06:47It got nearly 400 hits.
06:49Bloody hell.
06:50You know, and I'm like, wow.
06:53Wow.
06:54And out of that 400 hits, we've had a couple of ladies who've gone out of their way
07:01and they've filled shopping bags full of biscuits and cakes and everything,
07:04and they bring them in.
07:06That's incredible.
07:07It does.
07:08It really, really, really warms your heart up.
07:10You know, it's amazing.
07:12That's fantastic.
07:13And away from the Warm Spaces initiative and more about the Woodburn pub in general,
07:19this pub is a popular pub.
07:20It's been here for years.
07:21I think it's one of the most recognised and well-known pubs on the island.
07:24How in general is it doing in the evenings and the day?
07:27And also, have you got any other things that you do?
07:30Not just this Warm Spaces, is there any other events and things you put on?
07:33We have one event every week.
07:35We have our Sunday night quiz with Simon Fletcher.
07:39That's usually a very busy night.
07:42Simon's another great guy.
07:44He comes with his team and puts the quiz on.
07:47I'm a bit too thick, mate.
07:49I'm useless at quizzes as well.
07:50You're not very good.
07:51You're not very bright at all.
07:54We have all the sports.
07:57Sky Sports with five TVs that we've got now.
08:02Six TVs.
08:06We have a great sporting area outside with heaters and lights, tables and a big TV out there.
08:13And we've got a full Sky Sports package, so that helps.
08:17And the Winnie's just a great pub.
08:20It's 130 years old next year.
08:22What are the oldest on the island?
08:24I think the oldest is the Mitre in Coatmichael.
08:27That's really old, isn't it?
08:3018-something, maybe 1766 or something.
08:35Yes, something incredible.
08:38That's another good pub.
08:39And that's a pub that could benefit from doing something like this.
08:42A small village.
08:44Absolutely.
08:47They've all got this free space.
08:50It doesn't get used.
08:51Yes, exactly.
08:52The mornings, you don't open anyway, normally, the pubs, are they?
08:55We don't open until three o'clock.
08:56Oh, so if you open from ten till three for these people, there's a place for them to come in.
09:02That's perfect.
09:04It is, it's good.
09:06But it's also good for me.
09:10Do you think so?
09:12Yes, it helps me.
09:14I just do this off my own bat.
09:18I get incredible support from Erin, really.
09:21Super support.
09:23Stephen's well behind it.
09:27If I want anything, I just have to ask and make a good case for it.
09:33And they'll do it for us.
09:35They're quite accommodating, that's perfect.
09:37Yes, it is.
09:40Some of the girls will come in here and they'll have a glass of wine.
09:46Two trayfuls of sandwiches and a glass of wine.
09:51It's amazing.
09:54That's perfect.
09:55It really is.
09:56So I think the message is to everyone, get to the Woody.
09:58Come to the Woody.
09:59Come to the Woody Club every Thursday.