We speak to Ray and Jo Lambe, the landlord and landlady of The Red Lion, Preston to discover how IDNet broadband keeps their customers happy, their business connected, and their two young children entertained.
Tell us a little about the Pub and what makes it special:
We were the first community-owned pub in the UK. Back in 1982 a group of locals fearing a much-loved asset would be lost, took matters into their own hands. Since then The Red Lion has flourished as a community enterprise. It’s at the heart of everything locally hosting many clubs and groups. Walkers, cyclists, cricketers and families support our county pub as do real ale connoisseurs. We were voted North Herts CAMRA Pub Of The Year 2018 and again in 2019. Plus we’ve just scooped the county wide crown for best real ale pub in the whole of Hertfordshire! Also one of our directors (Brian Waters), was recently awarded a British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2019 for services to the community. We are very proud of our achievements.
How important is your IDNet internet connection?
Although some traditionalists would disagree, modern patrons expect to be able to get online when they visit pubs and restaurants these days. And especially if they bring children. As we’re in a rural location, not all mobile networks get a signal here, so offering good Wi-Fi is important. It’s vital for us as a family too. With two young children, being able to play games, watch kids TV on demand and take advantage of educational resources is a massive benefit.
How do you benefit from a fast and stable internet connection?
Our ability to take card transactions relies on having a stable connection. Most customers want to pay this way, especially when food orders are involved. We also benefit by having the peace of mind that when we need to order stock online from suppliers, upload accounts, do online banking or transfer commercial documents, the IDNet network is always on and super responsive. We can run the business without having to worry about the technical stuff.
What do you like best about IDNet?
Nothing is ever too much trouble. The support team are extremely proactive. For example, as we’ve got a very large pub garden with tables and chairs stretching back quite a distance, we wanted to extend the reach of the Wi-Fi. IDNet helped to source the best routers and they installed the optimum configuration so we have complete coverage in the public bar, the lounge, front and back gardens….the signal even stretches to the car park!
Have you had any bad experiences with other ISPs in the past?
The village had all sorts of problems with BT in the past, we campaigned for years to get decent broadband. It wasn’t until IDNet got involved that things started to happen.
Would you recommend IDNet?
Totally! Not only do they offer a great service, but they also have a genuine community ethos which is refreshing. Like most of our successful real ales, IDNet are independent, not part of a large multinational, work lovingly on their product and leave a pleasant taste when you deal with them.
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