The owner of a pub named after former Burnley FC manager Sean Dyche has shared her experience of running a pub during the pandemic.
Justine Lorriman purchased The Royal Dyche in Yorkshire Street, Burnley, in 2018 and turned what was initially a pub with a ‘bad reputation’ into a thriving space for locals.
The pub is well loved amongst Justine’s regular clientele and every summer, especially when Burnley are playing, the beer garden is bursting with customers.
One of the main reasons customers return regularly is because of Justine and staff’s warm and friendly service.
She said: “I’ve been there for nine years and they’ve been there since day one.
"They’ve seen the pub grow and what I’ve built up so there’s that mutual respect. We just feel like one big pub family."
Losing this pub family was the most difficult thing for Justine during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns.
She continued: “I see these people daily, probably more than my own family and I know it was hard on them as well.
"So, it was hard not knowing everybody’s mental state and whether they were doing okay because, normally, you see that on face value.
“So, it’s great being back and being able to see them all again.”
Justine was in her final year of university studying to become a PE teacher when she signed the lease for what was originally the Princess Royal, as a favour to her father’s friend who couldn’t find a suitable tenant.
“It was never going to be a permanent thing,” Justine said.
“But after uni, I went travelling and I realised how much I loved running my own business.
"It gave me that clear mind and when I came back I was more determined to eventually own the business and that’s how it started.”
The first 12 months for Justine were strenuous as she found people didn’t respect the venue or the staff working there.
“It was really intense trying to bring a better atmosphere to the pub but once I started getting the ball rolling, I started to form a nice attachment to the pub.”
Even during Covid, Justine worked tirelessly to continue improving the pub with the free time during lockdown.
She added: “Every year the business had been growing up so covid put a stop to that.
"But it was a good opportunity to refurbish the beer garden and have a repaint of everything and work on future plans."
The second lockdown, however, was a more negative experience for Justine and her staff.
“For us to put all these restrictions in place and to work so hard to keep people safe, for us to have to shut down again - that was a dark time.
"We shut down for six months and we weren’t sure if we’d be open again.”
The pub reopened in April last year and was “probably the most thriving space in Burnley,“ Justine said.
Justine launched ‘PrinFest’, which is a festival that takes place at the pub every year to raise money for Pendleside Hospice.
With three stages, the event is impressively busier than a Burnley home game.
“It’s nice to have something that’s my own and not football related that does so well.
"It’s all local DJs and bands so it’s brilliant to be able to showcase local talent in the area.”
PrinFest will be taking place on Saturday, July 23 at The Royal Dyche, Burnley.
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