It’s been a long road to reopening for The Locks Inn in Geldeston but at least the path is now smoother thanks to a donation of 80 tonnes of hardcore building material from Hopkins Homes.
Famed for its riverside location and the Big Dog ferry that delivers customers to a nearby jetty, The Locks is also accessed via a long, unmade road. The ruts and potholes in this track were becoming increasingly difficult to navigate.
The Locks had already benefitted from support and a grant through the Hopkins Plunkett Communities Scheme – Hopkins Homes’ initiative with national charity Plunkett Foundation to help East Anglia’s community-run businesses. So Graham Elliott who spearheaded the community’s efforts to buy the pub at auction, appealed to the award-winning developer for further assistance.
Graham said: “We’ve seen such a huge amount of support from our customers since we officially reopened. The state of the track didn’t make their journey to us very easy though. We were very grateful for the help that Hopkins Homes already provided us through the communities’ scheme so we approached them to see if they could spare a little hardcore so we could make the improvements.”
The result was four lorry loads of recycled road planings and scalpings being delivered – around 80 tonnes worth!
The material came from the nearby Hopkins Homes development at Barsham Vale, Beccles.
Nick Holmes, Director of Operations at Hopkins & Moore, part of The Hopkins Group, said: “I actually know The Locks very well and am delighted to see it reopening as a community-run pub. I also knew the track was in a bit of a mess so it was a pleasure to be able to help the team out with the recycled material from one of our nearby developments.”
Previously The Locks had received a £700 grant through the Hopkins Plunkett Communities Scheme to enable them to purchase some new gardening tools and equipment to keep their outside areas looking good.
Nick continued: “We pride ourselves on supporting local communities in our region. Community-run businesses have been more important than ever over the last year so we’re pleased to be able to offer this practical support which will make a tangible difference to the pub’s customers.”
Funded by a £65,000 donation from Hopkins Homes, the Hopkins Plunkett Communities Scheme provides free support and expertise through Plunkett Foundation’s network of advisers. For more information on the scheme, which is also open to other forms of community business including shops, farms and bakeries, email info@plunkett.co.uk
The Hopkins Charitable Fund has given out over £370,000 in small grants to East Anglian charities, groups and organisations and over £450,000 to major projects which includes the Hopkins Plunkett Communities Scheme.
To find out more about the Hopkins Charitable Fund and the many charities and organisations it has supported visit: www.hopkinshomes.co.uk/charitable-fund/