Gosport micropub celebrates its first birthday - proving its landlady wrong

A GOSPORT micropub has celebrated the one year anniversary of its opening, with its success proving one doubter wrong – its own landlady.
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After investing more than £12,000 and six months work into preparing the site, Shannon Bull, 21, opened the Four Ale Tap Room, in Stoke Road, Gosport, as her first business venture on Friday, June 8 last year.

The tap room celebrated its anniversary with a series of events this week.

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The Four-Ale Pale sold out 70 pints within the first hour-and-a-half of opening on Saturday, the micropub’s official birthday.

The Four Ale Tap Room in Gosport.The Four Ale Tap Room in Gosport.
The Four Ale Tap Room in Gosport.

Tuesday saw its first beer tasting event with all 17 tickets selling out within half-an-hour of going on sale.

Shannon said: ‘I have proved myself wrong.

‘At the start, I thought – ‘can I do this?’

‘I had a few sleepless nights in the first six months.’

Patrons enjoy the first beer tasting event held at the Four Ale Tap Room to celebrate its birthday.Patrons enjoy the first beer tasting event held at the Four Ale Tap Room to celebrate its birthday.
Patrons enjoy the first beer tasting event held at the Four Ale Tap Room to celebrate its birthday.

Shannon, who is supported by her dad, Simon, and barmaid Tess, says she was an ‘incredibly shy person,’ but running the pub has changed her.

She said: ‘I have been told by my dad and friends that I have completely changed from when I first opened the pub.

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‘This is not something I ever thought I would do – but it’s been great fun.’

The landlady reveals there have been hiccups along the way – as shiitake mushroom and butternut squash flavoured gin did not go down so well with regulars.

She said: ‘We went a bit overboard on different flavoured drinks and snacks, as we were convinced we needed to have as many options as possible to sell.

‘At one point we had Indian curry pickled eggs and a gin that was shiitake mushroom and butternut squash flavoured.

‘We did soup – that didn’t really work well with beer.’

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There are now three flavoured gins offered – strawberry, lime and pink peppercorn, and rhubarb – and more than five different beers on rotation.

Shannon said: 'We always try to have an IPA, a bitter, and port or stout in the summer months – and then something with a crazy flavour.’

The pub is open 3pm to 9.30pm on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 12pm to 9.30pm on Friday and Saturday, and 12pm to 2.30pm on Sunday.

A free cheese board is offered every Sunday.

Looking back at the past year, Shannon said: ‘We’ve made a lot of friends.’

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