This Hayling Island pub cannot get a government grant – but the community has stepped up

The Lifeboat Inn, in Sea Front, Hayling Island, has a rateable value of £58,000, meaning it is not eligible for the government’s small business grant which only supports businesses with a value up to £51,000.

But now a friend of the landlady, Nikki Fischer who has worked at the pub for 17 years, has shown her support by raising more than £1,000 in less than 12 hours.

Tracey Coyle, who took on the lease of the pub with her sister Amanda Coyle in November 2017, said: ‘It was one of our close friends who set it up.

‘It’s an amazing gesture, and we’re incredibly grateful.

‘We haven’t had any income whatsoever – we tried a takeaway scheme at first, but that didn’t really work.’

The pub launched a takeout service in the first week of lockdown, but the pub attracted just two orders.

Tracey said: ‘If we open a barrel for only two beers, that’s a lot of beer that could go to waste if it’s not used before it goes off.

‘We could be losing £150 to £200 a barrel.

‘Whereas we could get a full barrel replaced.

‘I think there were not more orders because it was so early in the lockdown and people might have thought it wasn’t going to last.’

A total of 14 staff members have been furloughed on 80 per cent pay, and the pub’s rent has been deferred by its landlord, Ei Group.

There has been a lot of misinformation about the support that’s available, the landlady said.

She added: ‘We saw a comment on Facebook saying that Ei pubs were getting all grants and that we were basically lying.

‘So it was gutting to think people thought we were grabbing extra money and getting help, when that’s not the case.’

Anyone wishing to support the pub can make a donation at gofundme.com/f/buy-a-pint-for-the-lifey

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