Blackburn landlord launches shuttle bus between his two pubs (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Blackburn landlord launches shuttle bus between his two pubs

11:00pm Friday 28th September 2012 in News By Lisa Woodhouse, Assistant picture editor

A BLACKBURN landlord has introduced a free fun bus to transport revellers between his two pubs as a way to combat struggling trade.

Landlord Darren Heggie is encouraging people to hop aboard the service between the Havelock Inn, in Havelock Street, and the Mill Hill Hotel, in Bridge Street, on Saturday nights.

He said: “The pub trade is struggling. You can’t just open the doors and expect people to come in any more. You need to do things to attract them, and put entertainment on.”

Darren, 33, who has run the Havelock Inn for around five years, said the idea of the shuttle bus came to him after he took over the Mill Hill Hotel around a month ago.

He then bought the eight-seater bus which is being driven by pal Albert Finn between the two pubs – which are a quarter of a mile apart.

He said: “We want customers to be able to enjoy going to a couple of pubs without having to pay for a taxi.

“It’s just that little bit too far to walk, especially in bad weather, and not really far enough for a taxi.

“This will save our customers a few quid so they can have another pint instead.”

The first service ran last Saturday and will continue every Saturday night initially between 7pm and 11pm.

It will leave from the Havelock Inn on the hour and the half hour, and leave from the Mill Hill at quarter past and quarter to the hour.

Darren said: “The first shuttle service had about 80 people on board over the night. I think that when people hear more about it, it will attract more people.”

He said as trade starts to pick up at the Mill Hill, he plans to add more entertainment to the schedule and expand the shuttle service over the weekend.

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