The Flying Pig in Cambridge awarded £50,000 grant to help it reopen

Popular Cambridge pub and music venue The Flying Pig has received a grant of £50, 241 from the government’s Culture Recovery Fund (CRF).

Landlady Justine Hatfield said she had never applied for anything like that in the past and was “over the moon” to be accepted.

“Because we’re such a small, little concern, we didn’t really think we’d get it,” admitted Justine. “Obviously we haven’t applied for a huge amount compared to a lot of places, but it’s enough – it’s what we need to get us back on our feet and be able to afford to pay our musicians and staff.

“We were absolutely gobsmacked and thrilled. We had a crowdfunder in December, which saw us through the lockdown months, but we knew that it was going to be tough, because only being able to use the garden and the six-in-a-group situation means you’re limited to how much trade you can do.”

Justine notes that all of the rules and regulations that have had to be put in place this past year have been “really stressful”. She adds: “We’ve been running this pub for 23 years so we can pretty much do it with our eyes shut, but when you keep moving the goalposts like that, it doesn’t help much!”

The pub has been under threat of redevelopment as part of wider plans in Hills Road, but last month these were rejected by the councillors on a planning committee.

Read more:

Culture Recovery Fund offers £1m to Cambridge museums and venues

Plans for Flying Pig pub in Cambridge rejected by councillors