Back Our Businesses: ‘We’re much more than a pub, we’re the living room of the community,’ says landlady

Though everyone may enjoy frequenting the pubs and venues Northampton has to offer, there is no denying this may be one of the first things people cut down on when looking to minimise spending.

Teresa McCarthy-Dixon, landlady of The Swan & Helmet in Grove Road and founder of the McCarthy-Dixon Foundation, is aware of this, but says her venue is “much more than a pub” and acts as “a living room to the community”.

As part of our Back Our Businesses campaign, she shared the reality of running an independent pub during the cost of living crisis.

“All businesses have seen an impact,” said Teresa. “But many people see running a pub as a luxury – when really one of the first things people cut down on when they are struggling to make ends meet is going out and socialising. Customers now go out later and consume less.”

Not only has Teresa managed the pub for the past 16 years, but she set up a charity to help those in Northampton during the pandemic when need was at an all-time high.

Teresa says this has been “a challenge” as she spends more than 50 hours a week working on the McCarthy-Dixon Foundation from Monday to Friday, and the weekends running the pub as that is when custom is highest. Despite this, she says “the two go hand in hand” and her customers are very supportive of both ventures.

The Swan & Helmet is experiencing hikes in prices across all products and bills, but faces the additional struggle of the pub being her and her family’s home.

As it is classed as a ‘commercial property’, Teresa and her family “do not have the same luxuries as a normal home” and in some instances face higher bills, including on Sky Sports, which is essential to maintaining customers.

Teresa said: “As well as this, beer prices have gone up drastically over the past three to four months and breweries have put their prices up twice this year. It’s not fair to palm this price increase onto our loyal customers.”

The landlady has become more conscious about when lights are switched on, but has no choice but to keep the heating on for customers as the building is more than 140 years old.

As “people rarely come out in large groups like they did before the pandemic”, The Swan & Helmet has now reduced its live music offering to save money. It now only takes place on Saturdays, and a few Fridays and Sundays.

Talking about the future of the pub, Teresa said: “I’ll do everything in my power to keep the pub running for as long as possible. This isn’t just a home for the pub, but for my family and the McCarthy-Dixon Foundation. We’re much more than a pub, we’re the living room of the community.”

“We hope to sail the storm and come out the other side,” she added.

Despite the difficulties, Teresa counts herself lucky for the customer support “day in day out over the past 16 years”.

She says it has become “one big family where everyone rallies together” and “the customers are the backbone of the business”.