Celebrating 18 Years of Dedication: A Tribute to Our Landlady's Unwavering Commitment

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Full Speech: "Good evening, everyone,  

So, I have the honour of standing here today to celebrate someone very special – My mum.  

Now, running a pub and bed n breakfast is no easy job. It’s early mornings, late nights, endless problem solving and somehow still always being switched on for a full days work! It is 24/7- with hopefully 7 hours snooze time in between! But doing it alone, for 18 years, well that's something truly remarkable isn't it? 

Mum hasn’t just run this pub. She’s created a home. A place people come not just to drink, but for a chat, advice, a laugh, a bit of comfort and sometimes even a shoulder to lean on.  

Over the years she's worn just about every hat imaginable- Manager, chef, cleaner, accountant, referee or occasional bouncer (I can confirm she takes that one quite seriously, I’m sure there aren’t many people who can say they’ve been chucked out of their own mums pub!) She’s been therapist, and a Mum- and I don’t just mean to me and my sisters, but to so many of her team, who’ve become far more than staff. 

She’s not your average boss. Her team becomes her family… whether they like it or not.  

and somehow she plays all of those roles that I've mentioned, making them look easy- effortless even to you guys (even when we know they weren’t, they often included chaos, tears and a few choice words in the office) 

What makes me most proud isn’t just her hard work, but the kind of person she is. When we were young children, mum always worked hard, she was the banqueting manager at Broome Park, she was so proud of that job, and rightly so, but to allow her more time at home with us, she became a childminder  

And honestly, it turns out, it that was perfect training for this job… 

drunk adults and toddlers have a lot in common. 

Same emotional range, same coordination… same refusal to go home when they’re told... and sometimes even the same aim in in the toilet! 

But jokes aside, she put us 1st always, but her dream was always to have her own pub. And she waited until we were all grown up and moved out of home. She either loved us immensely, or she didn’t want to deal with us and the general public at the same time! And to be honest, I’m not sure there would have been a medal big enough for that!  

I remember the day she told me about The Five Bells, in Eastry, she came home, really excited, she knew this was where she wanted to be. This pub has bought out all of her best qualities, her strength, her determination, her unbelievable resilience- you wouldn’t believe some of the battles she’s faced here over the years and yet she’s picked herself up every morning and carried on – usually with a smile on her face too! (Just don’t catch her 1st thing in her dressing gown, before her tea, and breakfast, she’s not quite so smiley then!)  

Seriously though, Through the busy nights, the quiet seasons, and everything in between she’s kept going with determination, grit and heart!  

Running a country pub means you see everything. From the regulars who have their own seats, and those who avoid certain seats like their life depends on it, and maybe it does, to the “I’ll just have a half” but are still here 3 pints later, to the guys who are always still here at closing time, the people who you know what they’ll drink, how many they'll have and possibly even the know the conversation you’re about to have with them before they’ve even walked through the door, the people you know you can count on to jump into a costume, or to be part of a club or team, to the people who don’t mind giving hours of their time to organise questions and host quizzes or stand on a beer bar at the beer festival, and those who’ll step in with a guitar occassionally! (Wink wink) These are the people who make this pub a home alongside my mum. You know who you are, and I thank you! 

Looking back, She’s had to deal with a fair share of characters over the years, I won’t name names, or go into too much detail (probably not allowed for legal reasons anyway) but as I reminisce writing this, a few spring to mind, there’s been the jokers, the pranksters, unruly teens, a few questionable staff, the nude dancing man, a few fist fights and people thrown over tables , a break-in even, and cheeky grabs of inappropriate places that Mum has dealt with (nothing that a good right hook wouldn’t sort out eh mum! Hahaha) ...  

Mum has handled it all with patience, with humour, and probably a lot more restraint than most people would manage and yet somehow, she’s built a community, a place people feel welcome, where stories are shared and friendships are made.  

Somehow, through all of that, she doesn’t just keep the door open, she keeps people coming back. 

Mum, this isn’t just your business, it’s a reflection of you – your warmth, your love and kindness. Because behind all the long hours and hard work, is a person who cares about people, someone who shows up for others even when it’s not easy, someone who gives more to others than she gives to herself 

So I want to say it now. 

We see you. 

We see everything you’ve done, everything you’ve carried, and everything you’ve given up, to build this life—not just for yourself, but for the village. 

And as your child… I couldn’t be prouder of you. 

Not just for what you’ve achieved— 

but for who you are. 

I say it once more...This place is not just a pub, it’s a place where people feel safe, they feel seen and for many it just feels like home. And that is because of you mum. 

So today, we celebrate not just 18 years of hard work, but 18 years of dedication, courage and love. You’ve achieved something incredible, but most importantly you’ve built something that people genuinely love being a part of and I hope you know how proud of you we all are. 

There’s a little bunch of flowers for you, to reflect the brightness you bring to us all. There is a collection pot going round if anyone would like to put anything in it, to show your appreciation of mums constant battles and fearless devotion, and as recognition of everything she does for this village... or perhaps just to pay back those unpaid bar tabs, and as always ...cash back is available behind the bar, nudge nudge wink wink! 

So please, join me, in raising a glass – to my mum –  and to your landlady, to 18 amazing years and whatever the future may hold,  

Cheers"