In Conversation With…A Hoppy Place
Berkshire craft beer retailer and micropub A Hoppy Place was the first new retailer to open at Watermark, launching their second branch in June 2022 to a queue of thirsty locals. We caught up with Dave Hayward, one of the original founders of A Hoppy Place, to find out more about the new pub and why they chose Maidenhead.
Tell us more about A Hoppy Place
Naomi and I opened our first outlet in Windsor in August 2019, having been inspired by our honeymoon in California in 2017. We returned from the trip having been to dozens of trendy craft beer taprooms and bars and wondering quite simply – why on earth wasn’t there anywhere like that back home?
So we created one. A Hoppy Place is our family run, craft beer establishment – aiming to bring our customers the most exciting local and international craft beer, wine and spirits.
A Hoppy Place is by design fiercely independent and completely free of tie. This means we can stock any of the 2000+ breweries in this country, not just the 6 or so you see in 90% of the country’s pubs and bars. All of this is offered drink-in and take-away – with discounts for your cans and bottles to take home.
Our Windsor outlet is the local CAMRA pub of the year for both 2021 and 2022, and we are also SIBA’s (the largest brewery trade body in the United Kingdom) UK Craft Beer Retailer of the Year for 2021, showing the blend of the on trade and off trade that has positioned us to thrive through the pandemic and beyond.
We’re pretty proud of what we do, and the vibrant, friendly and welcoming spaces we’ve created. We go to great lengths to ensure inclusivity of product, and to the people serving and consuming that product. Everyone is welcome so long as they follow that mentality.
What inspired you to choose Maidenhead and Watermark for your second location?
Naomi and I live in Maidenhead and have done for nearly 10 years. We would have chosen our home town for our first site if we thought it was ready four years ago. But at the time, it didn’t seem to be. It was still at quite a low ebb with far more units closing than opening.
The new developments in town, of which Watermark’s two buildings are a part, are what convinced us to ‘bring it home’, as Maidenhead now seems to be a town on the up.
As well as Countryside’s development, we can see what has already opened around Chapel Arches and what is coming soon with the Landing project and then the Nicholsons redevelopment.
Maidenhead is in our eyes the ‘next Bracknell’ – a town redesigning itself. And Watermark gave us an opportunity to open in a prime location at what is still the beginning of Maidenhead’s journey to potentially becoming Berkshire’s leading retail destination.
What can customers enjoy at the new Maidenhead tasting room and bottle shop?
Berkshire craft beer retailer and micropub A Hoppy Place was the first new retailer to open at Watermark, launching their second branch in June 2022 to a queue of thirsty locals. We caught up with Dave Hayward, one of the original founders of A Hoppy Place, to find out more about the new pub and why they chose Maidenhead.
What can customers enjoy at the new Maidenhead tasting room and bottle shop?
Good drinks and a welcoming atmosphere. Traditional pubs have in some cases lost their relevance in recent years. I say this as a craft beer drinker who finds 90% of our country’s pubs are the same six or so brands and would rather they weren’t. What’s more, so many pubs are a little dark, a little tired, or come with not so little trouble. We want our regulars and friends to know that Hoppy is a safe, welcoming, bright space to enjoy good beer (or wines, spirits, ciders and soft drinks!) with good people.
As a venue that is never open particularly late, we want people to be sure we’re not a pub by design. We’re a tasting room. We love that wording because it implies conversation. Beer (and the rest) isn’t just the route to drunkenness, a background idea whilst chatting to friends and family: It’s the destination. And worthy of conversation.
What is your favourite local secret / hidden gem in the area?
There is a surprising amount of fantastic hospitality in the area. ‘Seasonality’ is a new brilliant and intimate restaurant well worth a booking for the best of super fresh produce prepared excellently.
Maidenhead is also rather well known for our ‘Italian quarter’ of sorts. Presto on Bridge Street serves stunning Napoli style pizza – and our soon-to-be neighbours Knead Neapolitan Pizza will be just as good, maybe even better!
We also strongly recommend Ghandi, the Indian restaurant in the Boyne Valley area of town, and the Windsor Castle pub which offers potentially the best fish and chips in the Home Counties.
We also love popping to Boulters Lock and across to the small island in between the Thames and Jubilee River – it’s always quiet and offers peace and tranquillity.
For someone new to the area, how would you suggest they get involved in the community?
Easy - come to our Hoppy Place. When Naomi and I opened our first outlet in Windsor in 2019 we really didn’t have many local friends, as we’d been too focused on work to get out there. The community we now are so proud to be a part of was formed by so many wonderful people coming to find us and sticking around.
We’re sure you’ll meet permanent friends in short order at our tasting room and bottle shop. It’s why we love doing what we do.
What is your favourite local secret / hidden gem in the area?
There is a surprising amount of fantastic hospitality in the area. ‘Seasonality’ is a new brilliant and intimate restaurant well worth a booking for the best of super fresh produce prepared excellently.
Maidenhead is also rather well known for our ‘Italian quarter’ of sorts. Presto on Bridge Street serves stunning Napoli style pizza – and our soon-to-be neighbours Knead Neapolitan Pizza will be just as good, maybe even better!
We also strongly recommend Ghandi, the Indian restaurant in the Boyne Valley area of town, and the Windsor Castle pub which offers potentially the best fish and chips in the Home Counties.
We also love popping to Boulters Lock and across to the small island in between the Thames and Jubilee River – it’s always quiet and offers peace and tranquillity.
For someone new to the area, how would you suggest they get involved in the community?
Easy - come to our Hoppy Place. When Naomi and I opened our first outlet in Windsor in 2019 we really didn’t have many local friends, as we’d been too focused on work to get out there. The community we now are so proud to be a part of was formed by so many wonderful people coming to find us and sticking around.
We’re sure you’ll meet permanent friends in short order at our tasting room and bottle shop. It’s why we love doing what we do.
