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No-alcohol pub says business is booming after launching boozer with zero hangover selling point a year ago
The landlord of an alcohol free pub has boasted about booming profits despite claims it would flop on opening 12 months ago.
Recovering alcoholic Sam Watson set up the Dry Dock, in Dorset, because he felt there was nowhere to socialise without drinking.
The boozer launched in Weymouth last August promising to be a pub without the alcohol and, less controversially, without the resulting hangover.
Mr Watson is now celebrating a year of trading with the landlord pleased to have silenced the critics who called his pub a 'glorified cafe', having cultivated a base of regulars as well as serving other punters and tourists.
Speaking after a year of pouring alcohol-free pints, he said: 'The positive reaction has just been absolutely phenomenal.'
Sam Watson, the landlord of an alcohol free pub, has boasted about booming profits despite claims the Dry Dock would flop when it opened 12 months ago
The recovering alcoholic has lauded the 'phenomenal' response to the boozer, which he opened in Weymouth, Dorset, after finding there was nowhere to socialise without drinking
Mr Watson is now celebrating a year of pouring alcohol-free pints with the landlord pleased to have silenced critics who called his pub a 'glorified cafe'
The Dry Dock has all the bells and whistles you would expect in a typical pub - a television, pool table, dart board, restored jukebox, pub quizzes every Wednesday and board games.
And it has non alcoholic varieties of all the favourites - wine, beer, cider and cocktails - as well as sodas and hot drinks.
Non-alcoholic Guinness and Lucky Saint have been among its most popular drinks, with alternative offerings from Thatchers, Doom Bar and local breweries also proving to be a hit.
'I couldn't have asked for a better reaction by the community as a whole,' Mr Watson added.
'It's lovely to see the people that have come into the space and grown and changed and bettered their life and put some of that down to meeting people and having fun at the Dry Dock.'
Since opening, its concept attracted the attention of This Morning presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary and Jeremy Vine on BBC Radio 2.
Mr Watson boldly shared the 'sober revolution is upon us' due to the changing attitudes of drinkers and revellers seeking a healthier and hangover-free night out.
Referring to the critics, he was pleased he had proven them wrong, saying: 'To the naysayers, I metaphorically feel that I can put sort of two fingers up to them and say "Well, you said I couldn't do this, or you said that it wouldn't work".
'But here I am a year on, and the doors have been open every day since, and that we've got a solid group of people that use our space.
'There are some really positive things that we have done and had lots of fun.
'If people want to call it a cafe, they can call it a cafe. People want to call it a bar, they can call it bar.
'People want to call it a pub, they can call it a pub. People want to call it a community space that's fine by me, as long as people come and use the space that we've created in a positive way, that's all that matters to me.'
Non-alcoholic Guinness and Lucky Saint (pictured) have been among the Dry Dock's most popular offerings in the last year
The Dry Dock has all the bells and whistles you would expect in a typical pub - a television, pool table, dart board, restored jukebox (seen), pub quizzes every Wednesday and board games
The pub was full during its anniversary celebrations last week with numerous community events, live music and punters gathering for a pint and chat.
The landmark will come as a relief to Mr Watson as, like many businesses, the Dry Dock has endured tough trading conditions during a cost of living crisis.
The concept of alcohol-free venues is relatively rare in the country and they often have a short lifespan.
As a seaside pub, the Dry Dock's landlord is banking on a busy summer to boost its trade.
He continued: 'We've had some financial difficulties, which all businesses probably face when in their first year.
'So there's been some ups and downs regarding that. But we sort of weather the storm, and we keep opening up every day, which is all that matters.
'We're constantly looking for from more support from from the wider community, and seeing how we can work with other agencies and continue to build relationships and support our our community.'
The Dry Dock continues to function as a community space, a place to socialise and also offers a safe space for people struggling with their mental health or addictions.
Customers over the year have flocked from the North East, Bournemouth, Bristol and other areas of the UK with Mr Watson suggesting its success could be down to people wanting to drink less alcohol for their physical and mental health.
The landlord wants the pub to continue being a key community hub, but also wants to help more people and groups.
He said: 'I'd really love to be at a place where we can have another year. So really, the game plan is to do much of the same, do what we're doing now, and to keep trying to expand, but not physically.
'So I think the future holds lots of co-production, lots of collaborative work with other agencies, and hopefully just see how we can expand what we've already got and we're already delivering.
'But I suppose the biggest thing I can say is, who knows what their future holds?
'Who knows where we'll end up? But I'd like to say that in a year's time, we'll be having this same conversation again.'