20/07/2026
***************WOW !! WOW !! WOW !!*****************
what a fantastic leaving night we had on Saturday. So many of you turned up to bid us farewell. So many memories recalled and such a great buzz. Many of you made me cry (probably on purpose for some of you ). TOO MANY PEOPLE TO THANK ,but just know that we appreciate each and every one of you. Thanks obviously to all the staff that made the night possible and a very HUGE thank you to VICTOR LING of BARKERS who provided the fun photo booth which was extremely popular and I fully recommend having.
********THANK YOU EVERYONE***********
please note we are open - FOR DRINKS ONLY - until Sunday and will hope to be the pub with no beer by the end of Sunday night
Below is a copy of the speech made on Saturday night, which apparently some of you couldn't hear fully
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A MESSAGE FROM TAFF
IF IT IS NOT ME READING THIS OUT THEN IT IS BECAUSE I AM A BIG GIRLY WUSS AND KNEW THAT I COULDN’T GO THROUGH WITH IT WITHOUT BLUBBING. ACTUALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT ME NOW, I WILL BE BLUBBING.
FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU FOR TURNING UP TONIGHT.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THOSE WHO COULDN’T MAKE IT
AND THOSE LOVED ONES WHO NEVER MADE IT.
ALL OF YOU HAVE PLAYED A VERY BIG PART IN WHAT HAS BECOME A MASSIVE PART OF MINE, VANESSA’S AND LAINA’S LIVES. WHO WOULD’VE THOUGHT 24 YEARS AGO THE JOURNEY WOULD BRING US HERE TO THIS POINT, SHARING THIS NIGHT WITH OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. WE HAVE LAUGHED AND CRIED WITH YOU LOVELY PEOPLE THROUGH THICK AND THIN AND EVEN CAME OUT THE OTHER SIDE OF COVID –WHAT THE F*** WAS THAT ALL ABOUT.
THESE LAST FEW WEEKS HAVE BEEN A WRENCH FOR ALL OF US, HEARING FROM MANY OF YOU ABOUT ALL THE THINGS YOU ENJOYED ABOUT THE MARKET TAVERN, SAYING GOOD WORDS ABOUT THE FOOD, THE ATMOSPHERE, THE GOOD TIMES AND ESPECIALLY THE STAFF!!!!
THE STAFF HAVE STUCK WITH US THROUGH THE GOOD TIMES, BAD TIMES AND EVEN TESTING TIMES AND WE KNOW THIS JOURNEY COULDN’T HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THEM.
WELL, MOST OF THEM
I MEAN SOME OF THEM
OR MAYBE ONE OR TWO OF THEM
JUST KIDDING WE LOVE THEM ALL - CARL, PENCIL, JACKIE, KIRSTIE, KATHY AND ABBIE - AND WOULD LIKE TO THANK THEM FROM OUR HEARTS AND ASK YOU TO THANK THEM TOO WITH A CHEER.
AND PLEASE BE KIND BECAUSE NONE OF THEM HAVE A JOB IN A WEEKS TIME!!
WE KNOW THAT THIS IS THE END OF US HERE IN THE MARKET TAVERN BUT WE ARE NOT DEAD AND WE KNOW WE WILL BE SEEING LOTS OF YOU AROUND TOWN AND OTHER PLACES, NOW THAT WE HAVE TIME ON OUR HANDS AND I AM NOT AS FAST AS I USED TO BE SO I WON’T BE ABLE TO RUN AWAY AND AVOID YOU.
I WON’T MISS THE HOURS WE PUT IN
I WON’T MISS THE BUILDING
BUT I WILL MISS EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU – LOVE YOU ALL
AND LASTLY
THANKS TO MY LONG- SUFFERING WIFE AND LIFETIME LOVE, VANESSA -WHO WILL FIND OUT JUST WHAT SHE’S GOT HERSELF INTO, WHEN I AM HOME 24/7
AND MY ADORABLE, NOW FAVOURITE DAUGHTER, LAINA WHO HAS GIVEN EVERYTHING TO THIS PUB AND HAS HELPED ME GET OVER THE LINE THESE LAST FEW YEARS AND STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE.
WHEN I GOT WEAKER, SHE GOT STRONGER -DADDY LOVES YOU
PLEASE RAISE A GLASS TO THE MARKET TAVERN AND ALL WHO SAILED IN HER
HIP, HIP HOORAY
TAFF XX
