PUBLIC-HOUSE REFORM.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIX, Issue 1065, 4 August 1910, Page 21

PUBLIC-HOUSE REFORM.

AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT. (From “London Daily Mail, j Can there be such a thing as an ideal public-house? To the rigid and uncompromising teetotaler such a phrase will appear a contradiction in terms. The public-house is to him a pesthouse, and all its works are evilThere are others, however —and they are by no means a negligible number —who think that the true solution of the drink problem is to be found in the improvement of the publichouse rather than in its abolition. To such the experiment inaugurated by the Herts and Essex Public-House Trust Company, Limited, will prove of interest. This company now controls some fourteen public-houses -in the countries of Hertford, Essex, and Middlesex. Each of these is managed by a manager of tried capacity, and each is comfortably furnished. In each the beer is of the best quality, and in each meals may be obtained. Each, too, is fully licensed, but the manager is paid a commission on his receipts on non-alcoholic beverages, while he receives nothing on the sal® of beer, wine and spirits—though he is paid, of course, a living wage. . The accounts are strictly and methodically kept week by week, and a representative of the “Daily Graphic,” who was afforded the opportunity of inspecting these accounts at one of the houses owned by the trust —the Red Lion, at Radlett—

observed with surprise that the takings for food seldom fell far short of -fthoser sfor alcoholic refreshment, and in some cases even exceeded them. He was further informed that, since the acquisition of this house by the trust, the proportion of non-alco-holics had risen from nil to 40 per cent.

It is gratifying to be able to record that the experiment is proving a success. So great a success, indeed, that..,, the trust now contemplates extending its operations into the neighbouring counties of Berks; Bucks, Oxford, Leicester, and Rutland. At >the week-end a party of directors and press representatives visited, by motor car, a number of these houses. The party included the Earl of Lytton (chairman), Mr. F. E. Mc-Cormack-Goodhart, Colonel Dudley Vane, ’ Mr. Alexander F. Part (managing director), and Mr. Alexander Jenkins (secretary); The first house visited was the Red Lion, at Radlett where great improvements have been made, during recent years. A billiard-room has been added, and several bedrooms —clean, lofty, and spacious—prepared for the reception of guests. From Radlett the party proceeded to Ridge Hill, where the Waggon and Horses, a picturesque little hostelry, covered with a creeper, and with an exquisitely painted signboard, was inspected. A halt was made for lunch at the Bridgewater Arms, Little Gaddesden. Formerly a country “pub,” this house has been transformed into a flourishing hotel, it stands in the midst of scenery of the most exquisite beauty, and there is some good fishing in the district. ‘ :

Lunch over, the party concluded their tour by a visit to the Rose and Crown, at Tring. This is by far the most pretentious of all the hotels in the possession of the :Trust. It possesses an enormous billiard-room, a racquet-court, a bowling-green. Furthermore, a handsomely-appointed con-cert-room has been added, and a series of Saturday afternoon concerts — for which no charge will be made to those taking tea in the hotel—has been arranged. At the annual meeting of the Trust, which was held at the Rose and Crown, and presided over by the Earl of Lytton,, the chairman announced that the profits of this year would enable them to pay five per cent., which, under their articles of incorporation, was the highest interest they could take.