PUBLICANS OF LANDMARK ST ALBANS PUB HONOURED WITH AWARD FOR THEIR COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION

The publicans of an historic Grade II listed pub in the heart of St Albans’ Cathedral Quarter have received a prestigious award to mark their 20^th anniversary at the helm.

The award from the pub’s owners – Star Pubs – recognises the contribution that father and son team Will and Sean Hughes have made to The Boot on the Market Square and to St Albans over two decades. The Hughes are celebrating their anniversary and thanking residents for their support of the pub by kicking off a year-long campaign to raise money at The Boot for the St Albans Community Pantry.

Dating back to 1420, The Boot is packed with character including a sloping ceiling that is six foot high at one end of the bar and 11 feet at the other. When the Hughes took it over in 2004, The Boot was rundown and little used. Over the years the duo have worked tirelessly to revitalise it and invested to restore and maintain the beautiful old building, enhancing the city centre.

Complementing The Boot’s history, the Hughes have brought it back to life as a top quality traditional pub and a local hub, where people of all ages meet up and socialise. The Boot – which is Cask Marque approved – is known for a great pint of Guinness and its wide choice of real ales as well as an extensive selection of fine wines and spirits. The pub’s authentic Mexican taco menu and Sunday roasts (during Winter months) are another popular feature and are prepared from scratch using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible by head chef Lloyd Pell. The kitchen named “Boot Cantina” was established during Covid and is now a very popular food destination in St Albans.

The pub also works hard to support the wider community raising more than £200,000 for good causes during the Hughes’ tenure. The Hughes will be putting on a host of activities, such as music nights, over the next 12 months in aid of their appeal for the St Albans Community Pantry. In addition, Sean campaigns on behalf of pubs, setting up ‘Save St Albans Pubs’ in 2017 to highlight the impact of high business rates.

Says Sean: “We’ve served over two million pints in the last 20 years. We never thought we’d be here this long but we can’t imagine life without The Boot now. It’s like our home and our staff and customers are like extended family. St Albans has an incredible community spirit. We can’t thank people enough for all the backing they’ve given the pub since we started. Fundraising for St Albans Community Pantry, which does invaluable work as a food bank and food rescue operation, is our way of showing our gratitude. Pubs have an incredibly important role to play in society and we want to keep The Boot thriving for future generations to enjoy.”

Adds Star Pubs’ area manager Dan Hayward: “This Dedication Award is well-deserved. Sean and Will do a terrific job at The Boot; it’s a superb pub and a real institution of St Albans.”