Latest news with #ThePilot
Wales Online
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
No-nonsense Welsh pub has no TV or live music but even attracts royalty
No-nonsense Welsh pub has no TV or live music but even attracts royalty This is The Pilot. They don't do food, they don't have Sky. What they do have is quality drink and a penchant for conversation The Pilot in Mumbles has been part of the local landscape for generations (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) More than 12 years ago a couple from Swansea stepped in to save what is widely regarded as the oldest pub in the Mumbles. One of the staples of the so-called 'Mumbles Mile' The Pilot Inn has a long and at times rocky history that is reminiscent of the beachfront it overlooks. First established in 1849, the pub has been part of the local landscape for generations. Its original licensee, pilot and mariner Sam Ace, named the seafront pub after the small but heroic vessels that once guided larger ships safely though the treacherous sea banks of Swansea Bay. Over time it became a well-loved gathering place for mariners, fishermen, oyster dredgers, and locals alike. Today the inn sits in good company. It's neighbours include none other than Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas, who own a home nearby in Limeslade, and singer Bonnie Tyler, who lives along Mumbles Road. The Pilot is a local institution that has sat on Mumbles beachfront since 1849 (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) However, like many old institutions, The Pilot has worn many faces over the years and at times struggled to keep pace with the growing number of trendy bars and restaurants along the seafront. That changed when Richard and Jo Bennett took over. Under their stewardship The Pilot has firmly re-established itself as a beloved local fixture known for its straightforward charm, strong sense of community, and quirky rules. Article continues below The pub prides itself on selection of beers and reasonable prices with the most expensive pint being £5 (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) Before taking the helm Richard and Jo had spent more than two decades away from Swansea, moving between the south of England, Scotland, and even Milan. After years of relocating they finally felt the pull to return home and with that decision came a desire to "reinvent" themselves. It was then that Richard chose to follow a long-held dream – to brew his own beer. Jo was fully behind the idea. With some experience from a part-time job in a pub she saw the potential in running one of their own – a venture that could be both a fresh start and a shared opportunity. "She wanted the pub. I wanted the brewery," Richard says. Despite being relative newcomers to pub life they were both clear on one thing – the pub's character had to stay intact. "We hardly changed anything when we came here," Richard recalls. "There are stained-glass windows here that have been here since the seventies. The layout has been the same for decades. Landlord Richard Bennett opened the pub with his wife Jo in 2013 after they decided to make a fresh start in Swansea (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) "There are of course things we had to renovate – it looked a bit scruffy in places – but really we tried not to change it at all." Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here . The pub has become a staple for locals, dog walkers, and tourists. Its welcoming atmosphere and unpretentious charm has helped it stand out on a seafront packed with competition. Still Richard admits there's one crowd that they try not to cater to. "We are quite a small pub so we try not to encourage big groups like students on pub crawls," he explains. "They would just dominate the whole thing and spoil the atmosphere." The Pilot has been firm in maintaining its original character as one of the oldest pubs in the area (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) It's a bit of an ironic stance, he acknowledges, given his own memories. "We used to love the Mumbles Mile ourselves when we were younger so it feels a bit rich for us to stop it but what I will say [is] it doesn't really exist anymore – not like it used to. Pub culture has really changed over the years, which is something I have noticed." The atmosphere and community feel is what The Pilot pride themselves on. As Richard says: "We want everyone who comes to the pub to have a good time – not just people who come in a large group and ruin it for everyone else." Indeed this no-nonsense approach has earned The Pilot a loyal base of regulars whom Richard says they have built a strong relationship with over the years. "During lockdown we realised how important this pub was to the community," he says. "Some people come here to see their friends here. Stop them from coming to the pub and you are essentially cutting them from contact – and that is being said for a lot of people. The small but cosy pub does not offer live entertainment or even a TV (except for the odd Six Nations game) (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) "Our regulars are at the heart of our pub. They're great. It's not the type of place where you get a hush when new people come in – everyone is very welcoming." This is what The Pilot is all about. It serves as a social hub – a place where people come to sit, talk, and connect. This emphasis on conversation is at the heart of the pub's identity and is what sets them apart from other venues in the area. There's no live music, no TV, no flashy distractions – just quality drinks and good old-fashioned conversation. "You aren't going to get a surprise when you come to The Pilot," Richard says. "You won't turn up and it's bingo night. There's plenty of places in the Mumbles that show sport or live music. People know that when they come here they won't get any of that. The TV is not going to be on unless it's the Six Nations. The Pilot has become a staple among locals for its warm atmosphere and emphasis on conversation (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) "You know what you're going to get when you come here and if you don't like that then you don't come here I suppose." This consistency draws not just locals but also its fair share of tourists from all over the UK and beyond. "Mumbles is a draw for people. There's lots of Airbnbs here, which boosts trade," Richard pointed out. "We've had people from not just this country but the States, Australia – you'd be surprised with how far people come to see Mumbles." One particularly notable visitor was Prince Albert II of Monaco who popped in to the pub for a drink a couple of years ago. "We've had our share of high-profile visitors but that was a real thrill," says Richard. "We were tipped off that he was coming. His security checked out the place beforehand. When three black Range Rovers turned up outside we all knew that he had arrived. Richard Bennett and his wife Jo Bennett with Prince Albert of Monaco at the pub (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) "He was a brilliant guy – really easy to speak to. He had a look round the brewery and everything. He had some friends locally and had come down to see the Six Nations in Cardiff so he had his Welsh scarf on... it was a surreal experience." Other than the social aspect a major attraction for customers, is of course, the beer – especially with Richard running his brewery at the back of the pub. His hands-on approach ensures that whatever is poured at the bar is fresh and distinctive. When asked which beer stands out Richard doesn't hesitate. "Our Pilot Gold," he says. "It's our biggest seller in the pub – a nice golden beer that's on tap all the time." Richard's happy place is the brewery, which can be found at the back of the pub (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) Beyond the staple Richard enjoys experimenting with rotating brews, often a pale ale that changes regularly. "We have our stout, Black Storm," he adds. "Even though it's a stout it's available all year round. That's a bit unusual because in the summer people typically go for lighter beers but we manage to sell that all year round because people like it that much." Richard highlighted that the pub generally see two broad groups of people – those seeking the local brews and the others wanting the nationally-named brands. "We have incredible drinks here – I doubt there's another place in Swansea that has a better selection of drinks than us – and at reasonable prices I think. All our real ales are around £4 a pint and our most expensive is a pint for £5." The Pilot has its stout on tap all year round due to its popularity (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) It is everything that Richard ever dreamed of. "Running a brewery is great," he says. "I like experimenting – and there's nothing better than creating a beer, putting it at the bar, and seeing how people respond to it." While the brewery is a solo job Jo runs the front where she shines. "My wife really enjoys the pub – she was a pharmacist so worked in retail since she was a teenager. Dealing with customers is so natural to her – she is all for the pub," says Richard. "I think the customers like me being in the back and having her up front. It works." Alongside Jo many people will be familiar with barmaid Sue Robinson who has worked at The Pilot almost as long as Jo and Richard have owned it. "Our customers absolutely love Sue – she's fantastic," Richard adds. Sue Robinson has become a familiar face in The Pilot and is loved by locals (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) "We have a great team but whenever Sue is off people do ask where she is – I think a lot of people think she owns the pub. People expect to see her when they come – she's very much part of the business." The balance between craft and hospitality is what keeps The Pilot thriving. "If you came to the pub 10 years ago and to the pub today I don't think you'd notice a difference at all," Richard continues. "We have a winning formula that works for us and that's what we stick to. Article continues below "We want to offer something for everyone – that's what this place is about."
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
3 Kellam High students accused of racial harassment sue principal for defamation
VIRGINIA BEACH — On the morning of March 12, a group of Kellam High School friends got together at their usual gathering spot outside the school. It was one friend's birthday, and they celebrated by giving him presents before classes began. The gifts included a birthday card with handwritten notes, some candy and a bag of fried chicken. Videos later obtained from school surveillance cameras showed the group hugging and laughing after the gift exchange, according to a lawsuit recently filed in Virginia Beach Circuit Court. A teacher who witnessed the interaction told Kellam Principal Ryan Schubert about it a shortly afterwards, the lawsuit said. The concern: The three boys offering the fried chicken were white, while the one receiving it was Black, suggesting that the act may have been a play on an old and racist stereotype about Blacks and fried chicken. Soon, the students were brought in for questioning. They told school officials it was all just a joke. The teen celebrating his birthday also told them he thought the gift was funny, and said he'd even asked his friends to give him fried chicken for his birthday, the lawsuit said. Police and prosecutors were notified, but determined no crime had been committed, according to the claim. Within hours, representatives of the NAACP, school board and community members were contacting the school. The next day, Schubart authorized an email to all parents that described the incident as 'racist harassment' and said the students, who weren't named in the email, would be disciplined 'to the fullest extent possible,' the lawsuit said. Local TV reports soon followed. That was the last day the three teens attended Kellam, and now they have filed a $10 million dollar lawsuit against Schubart in Virginia Beach Circuit Court. They were suspended from school and they claim that — as a result of the school email and the television stories that followed — they have repeatedly been threatened with bodily harm, stalked, hostilely confronted by strangers, and have suffered damage to their property. A spokesperson for Virginia Beach Public Schools, which is not named as a defendant, didn't immediately respond Wednesday to a request for comment. Schubart couldn't be reached by The Pilot and no attorney was listed for him in online court records. The students who are suing are not named in the filing to protect them from further damage to their reputations, according to their attorney, Tim Anderson. Even though they weren't named in the email, other students and parents quickly figured out who they were, Anderson said. All three have been homeschooled since their suspension, and do not plan to return to Kellam next year even though they've been told they can, he said. 'The actions of Ryan Schubart were reckless, defamatory and an outright betrayal of the trust placed in a school principal,' the lawyer said in a message to The Pilot. 'Mr. Schubart knowingly spread false allegations against minor students — branding them as racists in a narrative he manufactured to appease political pressure. His email to the school community not only disregarded the truth but also destroyed the reputations and futures of innocent children.' Schubart knew the boy receiving the gift was friends with the others, and wasn't offended by the gift, yet left that out in investigative reports, the lawsuit said. He also failed to view the video or conduct a reasonable investigation before taking action, the complaint said. And a claim in the email that a teacher 'immediately intervened' when they saw the incident occurring was proven false by the video, Anderson said. The students' long-term suspension has put their academic futures in jeopardy, according to the claim, and their rights to due process were denied when they weren't given a fair and impartial disciplinary hearing. Jane Harper,
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Critical veteran mental health care at risk due to Tricare payment issues, clinicians say
Health care providers serving veterans and their families across Virginia say they are missing thousands of dollars — with some having already gone out of business or are close to it — due to Tricare insurance reimbursements being stalled for months, leaving clients without critical mental health services. The stalled payments are apparently the result of a change to Tricare's billing processing system that began Jan. 1. Under the new system, licensed professional counselors must meet a series of new requirements or have a medical doctor sign off on their claims in order to be reimbursed, according to reports from clinicians and email chains between clinicians and Tricare provided to The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press. Without being paid, the clinics either have to stop providing services to clients with Tricare coverage or are asking their clients to pay out of pocket. This change particularly affects Virginia because it has such strict standards for its licensed counselors and it has never before required oversight from a medical doctor, according to Melinda Staton, a licensed counselor and the acting president of the Hampton Roads Counseling Association. In trying to resolve these issues, clinics and their clients have been met with inconsistent messaging from Tricare, according to responses to a request for data on the issue by the Hampton Roads Counseling Association. In an email to The Pilot on Wednesday, a spokesperson for Tricare denied any change had taken place and did not address a follow-up question about whether payments had been stalled. 'Upon checking with our Tricare (subject-matter experts), we've learned that Tricare regulations and policy governing LPCs have not changed,' the spokesperson said. Staton sent out an urgent request for data on April 4 from its members on this issue with Tricare. Of 19 anonymous responses shared with The Pilot, representatives of different clinics reported a total of 977 patients being impacted by this change, for an average of 51 patients per responding clinic. One clinic reported as many as 261 patients being affected, while four reported less than four patients affected, including one clinic that reported that while reimbursements had been delayed for about three months, they'd had zero clients impacted because 'we keep seeing them and currently, we are getting payments.' These same respondents reported losses totaling at least $175,000 for an average of about $9,210 each. Some of the respondents did not know the exact financial impact, but one said they knew it was 'tens of thousands of dollars.' In response to the request for data, many reported failed attempts to get an explanation from Tricare with some reportedly being told Tricare was experiencing 'system errors' or facing a 'backlogs and policy changes.' 'In the short term, we need for those clinics that have not been paid to get paid yesterday,' Staton said. 'In the long term, we need policy change in the Tricare manual stating that residents can be used, especially if they're being supervised by a fully licensed professional counselor.' Staton said she's aware of at least two clinics that have closed in recent months due to unpaid reimbursements from Tricare. It's unclear how many clients have been impacted. Meichell Worthing, a licensed professional counselor and owner of Lighthouse Counseling and Psychotherapy in Virginia Beach, said about 25% of their clients are Tricare beneficiaries and have stopped taking on new clients covered by Tricare due to the uncertainty. Beth Hunter, a licensed counselor with Lighthouse, said one of her long-term clients who has struggled with suicidal ideation for years left her office in tears after she described the situation with Tricare. 'When I had to inform her that we have not been paid and that she has options of getting a doctor's referral … or she could pay out of pocket, which she can't afford to do, she just left my office in tears saying 'I don't know what I'll do,'' Hunter said. 'She didn't want to continue services for my sake because she knew I wasn't going to get paid but also for fear that what if Tricare never pays and then she's stuck with the bill for all these months of services?' The next day, Hunter said the client emailed her saying, 'I can't survive without therapy.' Staton said research shows military service members in the first year of transitioning to civilian life don't get some form of mental health care within the first year of leaving the military they are unlikely to seek it in the future, which leads to an increase in the suicide rate. 'There's no rocket science here, it's going to negatively affect (veterans). … If there's a barrier to access it can be fatal,' Staton said. Gavin Stone, 757-712-4806,
