Murrie Venis celebrated her 20th anniversary as the licensee of The Green Tree 1727 pub last Sunday, July 26, writes volunteer community journalist, Rhys Toomey.
“It’s a massive achievement,” she said. “We are the longest-serving tenants in the last 100 years, and I’m really proud of what we have achieved, including the staff and the big impact we’ve had on the local community.”
Venis’s role in the community is her biggest motivator when maintaining the pub and preserving its culture. She said, “a village couldn’t possibly be a village without a pub; it needs a pub to act as its centre.” Without that anchor, “all sense of community is gone, and that is what we are trying to keep alive, as we are very much a community-driven, family-orientated, and culture-maintaining pub.”
Although Venis has been with the pub for two decades, next year the inn itself will be marking its own milestone by becoming three centuries old, upholding its spot as Spennymoor’s oldest pub. “I fell in love with the history of it all,” she said. “It’s hard work, but I’ve done it, and I love it; it’s the labour of love.”
The pub also proudly takes on several charitable endeavours. One of which occurred throughout the anniversary celebration “to raise money for the local Spennymoor Youth Band, who do a lot of work in the area in trying to get the youth into music,” said Venis.
The pub will continue to raise funds for charity and has already made a remarkable impact on the community, as showcased by its Community Defibrillator, the free-lending Green Tree library, and donations to the Dogs Trust, which contribute to its dog-friendly environment. For more details on previous or upcoming charity events, visit https://www.thegreentree.co.uk/.
The pub also proudly takes on several charitable endeavours. One of which occurred throughout the anniversary celebration “to raise money for the local Spennymoor Youth Band, who do a lot of work in the area in trying to get the youth into music,” said Venis.
The pub will continue to raise funds for charity and has already made a remarkable impact on the community, as showcased by its Community Defibrillator, the free-lending Green Tree library, and donations to the Dogs Trust, which contribute to its dog-friendly environment. For more details on previous or upcoming charity events, visit https://www.thegreentree.co.uk/.
Although the event is an opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate Venis’s 20 years with the pub, what she most hoped to celebrate is her loyal staff. “A lot of my staff have worked for me for 15-18 years; we’ve been here a long time, fully invested in the community,” she said. “When people come here they aren’t just coming to the pub; they’re coming to see us, all of the staff, and they are who I really want to thank.”
Rhys Toomey
Spennymoor's local community newspaper.
