It was just over a year ago when the doors of Rye’s first micropub, The Waterworks, opened, a brave move some might argue given the established competition available in the town. It had to offer something special to survive and in addition to its local provenance, quirky interior, knick-knacks for sale, the “front room” atmosphere and a really friendly team managed by David Roder, it found the missing ingredient – a superb selection of real ales and local ciders.
As they say, good news travels fast and it didn’t take long before this little gem was discovered. You only have to look at all the social media feedback and reviews to realise why it is now one of the most popular micro pubs in the South East.
The Waterworks is also recognised on TripAdvisor as the top tourist attraction in Rye, the reviews and feedback are so consistent. “Great atmosphere”, “friendly and knowledgeable staff”, “fantastic selection of real ales, ciders and gins”, “dog friendly”, “it’s how a pub used to be”, “a real gem”, we will definitely return”, “I wish we had a local like this, so friendly and only £3.70 a pint!” are all phrases repeated time after time.
It is not only the discerning general public who have realised what a great discovery this micro pub is, it has also caught the attention of the South East branch of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) who visited and sampled the beers on offer. The CAMRA Chairman, Peter Adams and his team (pictured) regularly visit hostelries in the South East, testing and tasting before narrowing their findings to a short list of potential prize winners in various categories (nice work if you can get it!).
These prizes and recognition are very sought after and are often awarded to businesses that have been established for some time. However in the case of The Waterworks the mould has been broken and after being open for just over a year, The Waterworks has earned the coveted title of Runner Up Cider Pub of the Year 2019.
This is an amazing achievement in such a short timeframe and David’s hard work and dedication was recognised last Tuesday evening when he was awarded his certificate by Peter Adams (pictured) and which now takes pride of place behind the bar.
This is not only a good news story for The Waterworks but also for the town.
There are many attractions to tempt tourists to visit Rye, we need them to keep our businesses prosperous and successful and with greater awareness including social media sites and personal recommendations, our visitors will not only continue to come and enjoy the experience, they will also return.
Image Credits: Nick Forman .