20/07/2025
The curtain has fallen and time is about to be called … for the last the very time … my little ship has been called in to port to rest
Where oh where do I begin…
A little something over 24 years ago I arrived at the Wheatsheaf as landlady … with my then partner and my two eldest pigeons, and you know what I didn’t want to take it on, I didn’t want to be a pub landlady … but roll forward nearly 2 and a 1/2 decades, I am about to leave and man has it been a ride
I know that I have been accused lately of detaching myself and that the pub is not as it was (little bit wonky round the edges, leaks appearing, don’t always have hand towels, run out of stuff and have to Tesco dash… I believe also wipe ya feet on the way out; we’d have given you a nice clean cloth to do so matey!) but please understand … in the time that I have been landlady … as time as gone on it’s not just been a pub, a bar, a village local … it’s been mine and my kiddos family home … and the people who come in day in week out become a part of your life and a part of your family, your life… they’re your people and it’s the weirdest hardest feeling to know it’s about to change… so right or wrong I’ve protected my ice maiden heart
For literally half of my life and all of my brood of pigeons lives the ‘Sheaf had been not only my place of business but our family home and now as the doors have closed for the last time it is so so hard to know that in a few days time I won’t walk down the stairs in to the bar to Julian telling me how it is, to sit and talk to me chicken wing Vince, to listen to Tim ‘Liverpool is the only way’ Jones, to hear hear Burnies next bonfire plot… to have my MUF Club boys Neil, Eddie, Todd, Jim, come in and make as much noise as a crowd of 1000’s when Utd score …
I’m working on the owners at my new place of work but what de freak am I going to do next year for the World Cup?!? I may not always have got things right … Hell I’ve gotten a lot of things wrong over the years but you have to admit … there is nothing quite like a Wheatsheaf World Cup ❤️
Jeez the semi final of the Champions League when my Spurs beat Ajax ; my Thomas leaving half way through because we were 2-0 down and ‘mum we’re f@cking s**t only for Moura to score a hat trick in the second half, for me to almost wipe out Trinity with beer and for the ceiling of the bar to take 3 days to wash off when we went through to the final where we was robbed
The World Cup 2018 when England beat Columbia 4-3 on penalties and you’d have thought we were inside Wembley Stadium!
We have been the best, bar none at football and I’d take a bow for that
In the last few days as things have gotten closer to ground zero and we are packing, shifting and getting ready to leave, as people pop in and I know I won’t see them again, as people message me to wish me well, as flashbacks of things that have occurred or memories that have been made, I have been inwardly on an emotional rollercoaster … lending back to why I have removed myself somewhat, I’ve been selfishly protecting my heart
I have so so many memories both fond and cross ones that maybe one day I’ll write a book … a kind of every soap opera and Jeremy Kyle rolled into the leaves of a very entertaining memoir
From ‘Flaming Paul’s’ to the Foster and my poor wooden elephant incident …. Or being made surrogate daughter and sister into beloved Dave’s family … being made godmother to sausage roll extraordinaire Ron Dog … meeting my best girlfriends Kristy and Nikki and then Christina in latter years … watching the wind up of his mates when a certain Mr Oswell had to be indoors before his tag went off and they had wound the clock on so he thought he was late home … our most amazing Floyd and his fabulous Pure Genius raising the roof and people’s spirit … Belly and his marvellous beer barrel walking … Richie Marshall and his New Year’s Eve squaddie two step that resulted in a 5 day bad back… bar Chair Jenga to see how high they can be stacked without wrecking the bar … kids growing up, people moving away or onwards to a different area… the loss of people’s in the village which sets a ripple of joint grief and loss but brings everyone together …. The spirit of Weedon community bonding together when someone had been in need or something needs to be addressed … late night drinks and complete shenanigans and giggles … I have so many memories I could write and write, 24 years makes for a whole heap of stories and memories… maybe I will write that book
I’ve been spoiled rotten with flowers and cards .. thank you 😘 and Eddie Phelan you are a git for making me cry with your incredibly kind words… my love and thanks to you, Kath, Matt, Neil, Tom, Vince, Tim, Elaine and Josh for my spa day … I’m going to have to book time off work, a new experience there!!
My Katy-Lea … for the wonderful video thank you … and thank you for steering the ship the last few weeks as I’ve moved over to working somewhere else, as much as we argue you have worked very very hard and I am really very proud of you ❤️
Julian and George … thank you from the bottom of my heart for always supporting me and for everything you have done for this old gals last hurrah
As the doors close tonight … the ‘Sheaf as she is known goes to sleep
This will be my last post, I’m somewhere between excited for what the future will bring and sad to say goodbye … for the main part it has been an honour and a pleasure to share the ride with you good Weedon people. There are many I hope will stay in contact with me, for those who don’t I only hope you remember me with the same fondness I have for you
And as I always have said … whether I’m in Weedon or down the road in Northampton, if you need help or something and I can do it please do just give me a shout
It’s a bye from me for now…
Love
H x
