Raise A Glass To Help The Homeless In Liverpool
A new micro-pub is being planned in Liverpool, set up as a social enterprise with all profits going to charities in the area that deal with poverty and the effects of poverty.
According to independent-liverpool.co.uk, the new addition to the burgeoning Liverpool bar scene will have a strict policy of only stocking drinks from independent producers, with an emphasis on local products. Both cask real ale and craft beer will feature highly, alongside artisan spirits and wine, served in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.
Micro-pubs have been a highly successful format in recent years with new bars opening regularly both locally and around the country and the founders of this new venture want to put that success to good use for the community. And some of the money could go to help the homeless.
“We want to run a great little boozer, with a focus on quality beers and spirits, but none of us have a desire to end up running some kind of bar empire, driven on expansion and greed” explains Simon, of Love Beer Hate Fascism, a small informal group of like-minded beer lovers, who has worked and managed various venues for the past 20 years.
Simon added: “The decision to run it as a non-profit enterprise quickly became the obvious option, and with the UK’s current austerity measures, the effects of poverty impact so many people in our city, we knew it was something we could make a different to, no matter how small.”
On their website, the group state: “As a Social Enterprise, we have legal restraints on how we can use our profits. Most importantly, we are unable to disperse money to any individual or organisation that is not a charity or social enterprise. This is called an ‘asset lock’ – we legally cannot give ourselves a nice little windfall because the bar’s being doing well – all our profits have to go to other charitable organisations.”
“We intend to divide how we put our profits to good use into two distinct groups. First will be a group of ‘regular beneficiaries’ – charities who are on the frontline of poverty action – helping the homeless, families, etc. etc. day in day out. As well as those, we will set aside another portion of our profits on a quarterly basis from which organisations can apply for funding from. If, in the event that there is leftover funds in this allocation, we will make further donations to our regular beneficiaries. As with other Social Enterprises, as required by law, we will regularly publish our finances including a breakdown of the good causes we’ve donated to.”
Struggling to think of a name for the new venture, the group decided to open up suggestions to the public as part of their first round of crowd-funding. A raffle of 2000 tickets is open, with all suggestions going into a draw to determine the new pub’s name. At £1 per ticket, this funding will provide for the initial legal and planning costs once a suitable home for the bar is found.
