Real ale just for older men? Think again!

l Rachel Marie and Luke Charles-Short, young licensees of the Cap 'n' Gown, Worcester

December 31, 2007: Young people in their early 20s are choosing real ale rather than lager at the Cap ‘n’ Gown, Upper Tything, Worcester.

And the pub’s new licensees, Luke Charles-Short and Rachel Marie, say the installation of stylish new beer handpulls means even more people will drink locally brewed beer from Hook Norton, Oxfordshire.

At 25 and 23, Luke and Rachel are the youngest couple to be the tenants of a Hook Norton pub. Rachel said: “The idea that only older men will drink ale is quite wrong. We get plenty of men and women in their early 20s whose beer of first choice is one from the Hook Norton Brewery."

The Cap ‘n’ Gown is a stylish one room pub, which has recently been redecorated in fresh and relaxing toffee cream and Spanish brown colours.

Luke said: “Our customers love what we have done to the Cap ‘n’ Gown. And Campaign for Real Ale members who come in say the Hooky beer is fantastic.

“The Cap ‘n’ gown is for people of all ages — we get a nice crowd of people in here. It is the best and friendliest pub in Worcester.”

Within easy reach of Worcester Foregate Street Station, the Cap n Gown is a haunt of many sports lovers, with rugby, football and horse racing all close by.

Sport features on the flat-screen TV — and customers say because of the banter and camaraderie, the Cap n Gown is the best pub in Worcester to watch the big rugby and football games.

The pub has no kitchen, but customers are able to buy food from the deli next door and bring it in to eat.

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