Licensees of village's only pub decide to call it a day

The couple who for 20-years have been at the heart of the Red Lion in Great Wratting want their friends and customers to join them in celebrating their impending retirement.

George and Linda Sykes have run the pub since April 24, 1998, having moved from Gayton near Kings Lynn, where they ran the Rampant Horse for seven years.

On August 6 they George, who works front of house and Linda, who cooks, retire from the pub trade, but before then, on Sunday, July 29 they are throwing a party at the pub ‘for friends and customers old and new’ , with a barbecue and live music from 6pm to 9pm.

Linda, 68, said: “George is 68 next birthday and we think it’s time to retire.”

The couple are renting a flat locally for six months - the first month of which they will spend in their holiday caravan near Hunstanton - during which time they will assess where their future lies.

“We will miss it of course we will, but we have decided it’s time to retire,” said Linda.

“We don’t feel like we can do another winter or another Christmas.

“We want to thank our family and the staff over the years, all of them, and thank the customers for supporting us for so many years because without the family and staff you can’t support the customers and without the customers there would be not be family and staff to help.

“We’ve been very fortunate in life. We’ve had a lot of support and a lot of help.”

Gavin Evans, who has worked at the pub for 14 years, will be taking it over.