Derbyshire pub makes lockdown beer deliveries with barrels strapped to a motorbike

The Feather Star, at Wirksworth, has launched a motorcycle delivery service after it was forced to close amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening, husband and wife team Rob and Jo Galvin strap two beer barrels to Rob’s motorcycle and he delivers to customers in and around the Derbyshire Dales town.

Rob calls his bike the ‘Double-Barreled Honda’ and Jo says he always ‘comes home buzzing about seeing our customers’ – as captured in these pictures by Derbyshire photographer Rod Kirkpatrick.

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“He even had our neighbour send him round to his dad's house as a treat, in effect ‘buying him a pint’,” Jo said.

“It's all very heartwarming and makes us miss the community of the pub, but I know it will be back!”

The idea for the deliveries started in March when it became clear pubs would soon have to close their doors.

Jo said: “I said to one anxious customer, we'll strap a barrell to Rob’s motorbike and deliver beer.

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“It was kind of a joke but I knew it was a possibility. At the Feather Star I feel we are more than just a business, we have hosted lots of different events over the three-and-a-half years we've been open. More than 10 community groups use our tiny pub as a place to meet.

“It's interesting how many people ask if the delivery service is profitable, the answer is always no but that was never really the point.”

After speaking to regulars early in the lockdown, and seeing them with crates of ‘low quality, mass-produced’ beer, Jo says she knew people ‘were ready to appreciate a proper pint’.

“We set about borrowing a 35 pin barrel, thanks to Howard Town brewery. I put a message out on our Facebook site and texted customers that we had a barrel of Five Points pale and Red Willow Wreckless available should anyone want some delivered straight to their door. The orders came in and we set to it.

“We sterilised the pin, primed and 'brighted' off half the barrel. We decided to use my husband Rob's Honda to do deliveries as it sips petrol and it can get right up to the front of most people's gardens.

”We knew it would raise a smile seeing a barrel of beer on a motor bike! And it sure did.”

Jo says social distancing is easy and Rob carries food grade tap sanitiser to use after every customer.

“Using their own vessel also reduces risk and being at home allows everyone to do their cleaning rituals straight away,” she added.

“It was funny to see some CAMRA members horrified that we strap a barrel of beer to the bike as they imagined all the yeast would be shook up and that would be awful. But we rack it off 'bright' similar to a brewery that would bottle their stock.”

Jo has thanked some of their suppliers, including Shiny brewery, Pentritch Brewery, Aldwalk Ales, Red Willow and Buxton Brewery.

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