Plans for West Berkshire's first Micropub given green light

Ian Batho, the former landlord of The Woodpecker in Wash Water, hopes to open West Berkshire’s very first ‘micropub’ in October.
The pub will be situated at the Grade II listed building at 1 Inches Yard, which was previously occupied by Jill’s Dry Cleaning & Laundry Services and has been sat vacant for almost two years.
A ‘micropub’ is classed as a ‘small freehouse which listens to its customers, mainly serves cask ales, promotes conversation, shuns all forms of electronic entertainment and dabbles in traditional pub snacks’.
When it opens, there will be no hand pumps and no bar – and beer will be served straight from the cask.
At just 25 square feet, the pub will have a maximum capacity for 25 people and there will be no food – apart from crisps, nuts and pork scratchings.
Mr Batho, who will run the pub alongside his wife Karen, previously said he plans to bring in traditional games including chess, scrabble, cribs and solitaire.
Speaking to the Newbury Weekly News this week after the plans were approved by West Berkshire Council, he said: “I’m very excited and can’t wait to get started.
“We are just in the process of ironing out a few things and speaking to suppliers and I’m hopeful we can open in October.”
The concept of the micropub has become something of a phenomenon over the past few years, with more than 700 now open across the country.
Micropubs can vary in size and opening hours, but they are united in one philosophy – a simple pub with the focus on cask beer and conversation for entertainment.
Their motto is KIS, KIS – keep it small, keep it simple. The micropub will be open from 11am to 11pm Monday to Sunday.