The party that took ‘Hire Your Own Pub’ very literally

The Terrace in Dewsbury is a private hire and music venue, and its slogan is ‘Hire Your Own Pub’. Well, a couple of friends celebrating their 60th birthdays decided to take that concept to a whole new level, creating what they called a ‘pub takeover’!

People hiring the venue often put up a few posters. Local Dewsbury business men, Andrew Moore and Terry Colbert, created posters, beer mats, shirts, and even changed the pub signage! For one evening only, The Terrace became the Dog & Hammer.

Who hasn’t dreamt of owning their own pub?..

Which pub lover hasn’t entertained the idea of their own pub at some point? Friends of 40 years, Andrew and Terry, certainly have, and what better way to celebrate both turning 60 than to take over and brand their own pub for the night?

But what should they call it? Both football fans, Terry is originally from London and a West Ham fan (Hammers). Andrew is a Yorkshireman and a proud Huddersfield Town fan (Terriers). This inspired the chosen name, The Dog & Hammer.

Transforming The Terrace into The Dog & Hammer

Of course, creating your own logo, beer mats, and signage is quite easy when you have your own marketing and design agency! Andrew owns and runs Boom Marketing, a marketing agency in Mirfield. Design, signage, gifts, and merch is all in a day’s work and they were keen to make the event personal and really feel like they were in their own pub, celebrating their milestone birthdays.

Andrew said:

“Owning your own pub for a party is the best way to impress your friends and family and to get the support from such a well-run local business like Beerhouses is the icing on the cake. They provide the staff and your own choice of beer as well as the pub for you to use for one night. It has a stage, a PA, and an outside area for food concessions so the perfect way to do something different. We had a blast and would do it again. All our friends said how have you done this? Unbelievable!”

The reaction from The Dog & Hammer, sorry, The Terrace

Sarah Barnes, MD of the Beerhouses group that owns The Terrace and 5 other pubs, spoke about the lengths that Andrew and Terry went to, to make the evening their own:

“We’ve always felt that The Terrace had a bit of an advantage over many venues as you do get a proper pub to yourself for the evening, but we’ve never had anyone actually design a logo, make their own beer mats, and erect their own signage before! It was a fantastic idea and brilliantly done – we love to see people being so creative. They have even said that they’ll offer packages to anyone else who wants to do the same – could be a new thing? Watch this space!”