The Bevy is a pub in the heart of Moulsecoomb in East Brighton. But it is far more than Just a pub.
In 2010 the original Bevendean pub was closed down by the local authorities because of anti-social behaviour. Prior to this it had been a part of the community since 1937.
Since then the pub has been completely refurbished and reopened with funds raised by some extremely committed residents who breathed new life into it. It is now a pub and cafe and has become a hub for multiple local charities, community groups, lunch clubs and in general a place for all locals to get together. It is now a community venture, run by local people for local people and it is the first ever community pub on a housing estate in the whole of the UK.
‘Meals on Wheels’, one of the Bevy’s latest projects was launched within 24 hours of the pub’s closure on March 17th 2020 due to Covid. By the following Friday, 17 hot meals had been rolled out to vulnerable people all over Moulsecoomb and the service has been growing ever since, continuing throughout the lockdowns to deliver hot meals to peoples’ door steps several times a week.
The service has allowed a team of volunteers to check in on people, have a chat and run any errands that might need doing. Helen Jones, a founding member and integral cog of the Bevy described it as a ‘melting pot’. On arrival we were greeted with smiles from volunteers from all different ages and backgrounds, including Helen’s own young lodger who had been assigned with and was fully embracing the role of coordinating deliveries. Helen explained that they were managing to feed a lot of people who usually attend their lunch clubs.
Whilst some pay for the Meals on Wheels service, the Bevy itself subsidises the cost of the meals to those who can’t afford it. Head Chef, Catherine runs a team of volunteers to cook up delicious, nourishing meals alongside volunteers and learners from St John’s College. St John’s is a specialist school and college in Brighton which works with young people who have complex learning disabilities, helping them to prepare for their young adult lives.
Pubs play such a vital role in the community. At a time when English pubs are in decline, the Bevy offers a refreshing new model. Even in the face of Covid the team at the Bevy have found a way to bring an otherwise fragmented community together and really have helped combat isolation and loneliness among Moulsecoomb’s residents. It offers inspiration at a time when we all need it most.
Enjoolata has proudly supported the Bevy with a Community Grant.
If you live in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean, have been told not to or cannot leave your home and would like to receive one of these meals, or know someone who would then please phone The Bevy on 01273 281009
Any profits made from the Pub/Cafe go directly back to the community. To donate to the Bevy click here. https://www.thebevy.co.uk/donate/
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