This week, I went to the village of Lea to speak with Jake Buxton, a former football player for Burton Albion and Derby County, who recently purchased the Jug & Glass, the village’s local bar. Jake has taken over to restore a bar that he believes would be at the center of the community after the former owner retired, leaving it closed for some time.
Jake Buxton is not like most modern football players, as everyone interested in the game knows. He is incredibly grounded and was known to show up for training with his boots in a tote bag. Jake was a traditional center-half who loved vintage Land Rovers and a few beers at his neighborhood pub. He was also a family man. It turns out that he also has a fondness for historic homes, which is how the entire tale comes together.
Built in 1781 by Peter Nightingale junior, the son of the original Peter, who brought riches to the area through lead mining, the historic Jug & Glass was once a row of weavers’ cottages. There is a lot of history connected to both the bar and the village. After passing away childless, Peter Junior bequeathed his estate to William Shore, who was related to his sister. William Shore changed his name to Florence Nightingale and was the father of the legendary Florence, who lived in the area her entire life. For Jake, that was part of the appeal. Let me turn to him.
He claims to have resided in Cromford, Wessington, the upper part of Tansley, and Dethick for a considerable amount of time. “I adore renovating historic buildings; I’ve done a few, and my current Dethick home is absurdly old. I’ve always enjoyed a few beers as well, and this is one of my favorite places to unwind at the pub. The fact that it’s closed is unfortunate. It shut down in July of last year. I had discussions with Roy Fretwell, who had owned the bar for approximately forty years, about taking it over after he retired.
You just want your local to be open, so it was okay with me that it appeared like I had lost out on the chance and that someone else would take it on. Then, without warning, an opportunity presented itself, and I opted to seize it.
Yes, he has undoubtedly heard from some people that he must be crazy to go up against a pub at this time. He acknowledges this, though, and replies, “I understand that.” “I understand that the sector is having difficulties, but I think this will take time. It’s what I bought for my boys. I anticipate being involved for a while since I wanted to leave something to the kids when my time is done.
“And sure, I am aware of the legends of former football players working as postmen or taking on pubs when their careers end, but what really convinced me to make the move was undoubtedly my connection to this hamlet and this particular bar. It’s true that you shouldn’t run a business with your emotions, yet part of me wants to open the pub for everyone in the hamlet. Although we are aware that this is a challenging period for bars, there are many of establishments that are doing it well.
It should come as no surprise that Jake plans to make minimal changes to the Jug & Glass: He says, “You could alter a lot if you wanted to.” But it had to remain how it was if you wanted a pleasant, cozy, classic rural tavern. I want it to feel cozy and warm when folks drop in for food or a pint. There will be a limited menu and excellent cask and specialty beers available. We always have an open fire or log burner going in the winter, and on the weekends we have entertainment. Dogs and families are welcome!
“I’m really anticipating the encounter. He’s now a significant figure in Derby’s youth team coaching, so it’s a terrific opportunity for me to do something outside of my day job. The fact that the villagers have a bar is what matters most; time will tell if it was a wise investment or not.
Thus, who will oversee the daily operations of the pub? Jake still goes to see one of his former locals for the solution to that. The highly skilled license holders of the Boat at Cromford, Dave and Lorraine Mountford, have consented to assist.
“I had a terrific relationship with Dave and Lorraine and the Boat was my local when I lived at Cromford,” adds Jake. “I’ve always thought of the Boat as a fantastic bar where everyone is welcome. It was okay for me to stroll in there with muddy boots after walking the dogs. I received a call about the Jug & Glass being available when this possibility arose, and the following evening, I was in the Boat and we spoke. Although I don’t have any expertise managing a bar, I do know how I want the place to feel and interact with excellent people. Additionally, Dave and Lorraine have an incredible encounter.
As the Mountfords walk away from Jake, Dave says, “Jake bought the bar on the understanding that we would run it.” Furthermore, we wouldn’t have done it for anybody else. We are certain that he is doing appropriately in this situation.
Their confidence seems well-placed to me. After an evening during which residents of Lea, Dethick, and Holloway can attend and share their opinions on how things need to be at the pub, it will reopen on Friday, May 3. After that, everything will be phased in order to open for business seven days a week and, ideally, have the pub’s five en suite guestrooms ready for reservations by June.
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