The landlady at an Eccles pub that was fire-bombed a week before she took over has won praise for her “remarkable” work to change its reputation.
A year and a half after Rebecca Smith took on the “crazy challenge” to relaunch the Oddfellows Arms in Eccles, the 37-year-old has transformed the pub by cracking down on crime on its premises.
Daytime drinkers at the boozer on Church Street said that her efforts to thwart trouble have made the pub a pleasant place for families to visit again and reinvigorated a long-lost sense of community in the area.
John, an upbeat and smiley cider drinker who reckons England will win the World Cup, sympathised with the “struggle” Rebecca has had to overcome to resurrect the pub’s damaged image.
“Rebecca has been remarkable,” he said. “The trouble and adversity she has had to deal with since she took over cannot be overstated. She has made the pub a nice place to drink again.”
The mum of two lets her daughters hang out in the pub when they are off school, and John explained this move has made people more mindful of their behaviour and helped to create a family-friendly feel that was missing before.
“By having her kids in, people behave better and are more conscious of how they act,” he said, adding, “It’s a really positive thing.
“I work in the city centre and normally come in the afternoon. I see all the videos that people put on, showing how full the pub is on evenings and weekends. She has done a fantastic job.”
Sitting in the corner of the pub, sunlight streaming through the window from the street outside, Rebecca said she could not have imagined the Oddfellows Arms would be in such a good position nearly eighteen months after it was damaged in an arson attack.
“I did not actually expect to still be sitting here now,” she said, smiling. “It feels like I have been here in Eccles forever. It has been fantastic and I am really glad I took on the challenge.”
The determined landlady decided to unban former customers and offer everyone a fresh start from the moment she got the keys to the pub.
“I knew that I needed to change the reputation the bar had,” she said. “I wanted to come in with fresh eyes and, over time, some people have shown their true colours.
“Initially, we had problems with drugs and even found some weapons, but I did a really good blitz and now nothing like that happens anymore.
“It is great because new customers come in because they see it is friendly, safer and welcoming. My kids being here helps to show that this is a good family-friendly pub.”
Rebecca’s hard work to rebuild trust among regular drinkers has paid off. They generously donated nearly £1,500 to pay for the defibrillator to be installed on site, and the clear collection tin on the bar is filling up again ahead of a charity fundraiser taking place next month.
The Oddfellows Arms will welcome people from across Salford to Church Street on 8 August for a family fun day in support of Salford Heart Care, a charity providing practical and emotional support for people with heart conditions, as well as their families and carers.
“I have a couple of staff who are going to be dressing up as inflatable characters and will be walking on Church Street for a couple of hours, handing out flyers ahead of the event,” Rebecca explained. “It’s all fun and games; we will have a barbecue, a bouncy castle and our DJ will be playing at it.”
The former SEN teacher, who previously owned another pub in Gorton, is hopeful that plans to regenerate Eccles Town centre will benefit the business down the line.
In March, developer Muse and Salford City Council unveiled proposals for new shops, cafés and everyday services such as health and wellbeing facilities in the area.
Under the plans, key streets including Albert Street, Peel Street and Vicarage Grove could be redesigned to improve accessibility and reduce traffic, to make the town centre easier to navigate.
The plans also outline the potential for around 1,272 new homes on the existing shopping centre site, forming part of a mixed-use neighbourhood. These would include a mix of private and affordable housing, with most buildings expected to be between three and 12 storeys.
A flexible community hub has also been proposed, which could host events, performances and exhibitions, as well as temporary markets and activities.
Rebecca feels Eccles has been “neglected” and said it would be “really nice” to see the area given a much-needed boost.
She highlighted the success of the artisan market and praised the way it draws people from across the region into independent shops, restaurants and pubs nearby.
“More things like the artisan market would be great,” she said. “Hopefully our fundraiser will draw people in and make a difference.”
Sat at a table near the fruit machine inside the Oddfellows Arms, Dom Andrews said the charity work has helped to “create a better atmosphere about the pub” and said it has “absolutely gotten better” since Rebecca took charge.
“I have been coming here for the best part of two years and, since she took over, the décor has improved; it’s become more family-oriented and has a different vibe,” he highlighted, adding that the changes stood out compared with other pubs nearby.
“Especially around here because you get a lot of rundown pubs that are waiting for an upgrade. This is the only one I’ve seen so far that’s had a really big improvement.”
Dom said that if he were asked to rate the pub, he would give it five stars.
Dom’s first-rate score may have broken the scale had he been among the lucky few who attended the pub’s Christmas dinner.
For the big day, Rebecca served up dinner for ten regulars at the Oddfellows Arms who may have been otherwise alone.
Rebecca said one of the moments that showed how the pub was changing came over Christmas, when she organised a special meal for customers.
“Over Christmas, I made a dinner for everyone. They contributed a fiver to our equipment, because I was starting from nothing, and made a three-course meal, and closed the pub off before opening again on the night.
“There weren’t lots of people, say, a maximum of ten, but those ten people still talk about that today.”
John concurred, saying: “I did not take part in the Christmas dinner but heard so many people who could not believe what Rebecca put out for them.
“They still talk about it now. She runs an amazing ship and has overcome so much adversity to change this place for the better.”
More information about the Oddfellows Arms and the upcoming fundraiser is available here.
