Husband and wife team Nick and Hanna Stephens are looking to raise £30,000 to help secure the future of their neighbourhood pub, in Homerton, Hackney. The money will fund The Gun’s rent, bills, supplies as well as the costs that will come with running a pub when distancing measures are in place.
The pair have been fighting for the pub’s survival since the pandemic hit. They say that its small footprint means that it relies on regular and busy custom and that ongoing distancing and repercussions of the pandemic could have a devasting effect on the business.
Writing on their Gofundme page they say: “The Gun is a small independent business and although there’s been seven years of relative success, when the pandemic hit there wasn’t a massive reserve in the bank. However, this fundraiser isn’t just about our current closure but also about the road ahead.
“When we do reopen, the pub is likely to run at a loss until a vaccine is found and social distancing measure are dropped and this will be tricky to navigate.
We have proudly built an amazing community of regulars we genuinely call friends and family. To celebrate our people, (once we're safe to do so) we plan on throwing a reopening party to which everyone's welcome.
“We appreciate that not everyone is financially stable at the moment, so even if you can’t pledge, we’d love for you to join us at the party, everybody gets their first drink on us.”
The pub, alongside neighbourhood businesses, launched the yearly ‘Well Street Against Racism’ street parties in the wake of Brexit, raising money for local charities, Hope not Hate and Hackney Quest over three years.
Rewards include prints and t-shirts from local designers Will Sweeney and Justin Taylor as well as personalised engraved The Gun tankards.
Visit The Gun's fundraising pager here