01/11/2026
❤️ AND THAT’S A WRAP… AFTER 15 YEARS, I’VE FINALLY HUNG MY HEELS UP! ❤️
Well, where do I even begin? 🥹
After 15 years of being part of The Festival, and the last 3 years as landlady, the time has come for me to close this chapter of my life.
First and foremost, I want to thank my family and all my staff, past and present, for supporting me over the years, especially these last three years. Running a pub is never easy, but having the people around me that I have had has made it one hell of a journey! ❤️
It’s been an absolute blast, full of laughter, tears, challenges, and memories I will carry with me forever. The last week has been an emotional rollercoaster as I’ve said my goodbyes, but one thing has really hit home… it’s not just a pub, it’s the people who make it what it is.
So, I couldn’t leave without mentioning just a few of the characters who have made The Festival so special. There are far too many to name everyone, but you know who you are! ❤️😂
🍻 John – seven drunken nights… need I say more! 😂
🌹 Maria – always full of glamour, as long as there’s rosé w**e! 🍷
🚜 Squaddie John – our very own lawn cutter!
😂 Tiny, who isn’t so tiny, and Titch, who really is tiny, now with his beautiful new bride Laura!
💍 Pam and Barney – our very first wedding at the pub. ❤️
📸 Mr Claridge – and his Friday night picture quiz!
🧠 Mick Penny – the quiz master of all quiz masters!
🎯 Rose and the ladies’ darts team – ladies who know how to throw a dart!
🍻 The Sunday night fun nights with the darts lads – some nights I’m sure we’d all rather forget… but never will! 😂
🍺 Daryl, always at the bar with his Guinness!
Lorraine a true cov fan ⚽️and Paul who definitely isn’t
And these are just a handful of the many wonderful people who have walked through those doors over the years.
We’ve celebrated so many special occasions together – weddings, christenings, engagements, baby showers, birthdays, and all those moments that bring people together. We’ve also come together to celebrate the lives of loved ones we’ve sadly lost. The Festival has been there through the happy times and the heartbreaking ones, and that’s what makes a community pub so special.
To everyone who has shared a drink, a laugh, a tear, a quiz night, a darts match, or simply a chat at the bar with me – THANK YOU. You’ve been more than customers; so many of you have become friends and part of my extended family. ❤️
I may be hanging up my heels, but I’ll be taking a lifetime of memories with me.
The Festival has been a huge part of my life for 15 years, and I will always look back on it with love, pride, and a smile.
Here’s to the good times, the great people, and the memories that will never fade. 🥂
Thank you for being part of my journey. It’s been emotional, it’s been exhausting, it’s been hilarious, and above all, it’s been one hell of a ride!
Love to you all Jacqui ❤️😘🍻🍷
P.S. If I’ve not mentioned you personally, please don’t think you haven’t mattered. There are simply too many of you, and I’d need a book, not a Facebook
