Memories of Stuart Broad co-owned burnt Tap & Run pub

Memories came flooding back seeing the devastating images of Tap amp Run an awardwinning UK pub jointlyowned by English pacer Stuart Broad his Nottinghamshire teammate Harry Gurney and hotelier Dan Cramp being gutted in fire earlier this week While there was no loss of lives the blaze has left the place in shambles and unrecognisableThis correspondent had visited the quaint countryside pub during the 2019 World Cup held in England A day before India were to take on New Zealand in their World Cup league game at Trent Bridge Nottingham midday visited the pub located at the picturesque Melton Mowbray village which is a 30minute drive from the groundThe Tap amp Run pub when midday visited it during the2019 ICC World Cup in England PicHarit N JoshiThe accidental fire took place in the early hours of June 11 which was Day Two of the second Test between England and New Zealand at Trent Bridge where Broad was in actionThe England pacer was woken up early on that day by a WhatsApp message from Gurney only to see that the raging fire had reduced their beautiful pub to ashes The ground plusone structure was completely destroyed in the dark smokeBroad expectedly expressed sadness over the incident via a tweet and Gurney provided an update on the ground situation with pictures and videosThis was the state of Tap amp Run after the fire With every day that goes by we are a step closer to reopening cbiservices have today cleared the debris from outside and erected heras fencing to add some security The next step is an initial clear out starting with stock and furniture and then all the debris Gurney a former Kolkata Knight Riders player said in an Instagram post on FridayThe frequent visitors of the pub have volunteered to help rebuild it and provided overwhelming support to the two cricketersThe innovative name of the pub was suggested to Broad and Gurney by the head scorer of Nottinghamshire county teamAlthough Tap amp Run is a cricketing analogy the decor of the pub was very subtle as far as the sport is concernedldquoWe didnrsquot want to make it look like a sports bar where we have memorabilia of Stuart and Harry or tshirts signed by their teammates etc We didnrsquot prefer cricket to be in the face as we also wanted to appeal to people who donrsquot follow the sport There are many who come here and donrsquot even know who Stuart Broad isrdquo Gred McLeod the operations manager of the pub had told midday during our visitThe subtle cricketing touch to the decor could be observed when you have a close lookOne of the wallpapers in a section of the pub was about cricketing activities like bowling batting fielding and wicketkeepingAs you enter the pub the lights hung to wooden sticks resembling stumps The table where we sat had a stump fixed on a side wallFor cricketenthusiastic guests they had a treasure hunt to locate 18 bails across the pub ldquoThere are 18 counties and that is why 18 bailsrdquo McLeod had explained The winner would get a free drink while a kid would receive a cricketrelated giftDuring middays visit to the pub it encountered Kiwi cricketers Ross Taylor Ish Sodhi and Lockie Ferguson being treated to some great hospitality by GurneyAs much as the locals the cricketers too would be looking forward to visit the pub again when it is up and ready for the second innings