- Licensee Harry Burton of The Nelson and Railway pub celebrates his 40th anniversary of taking over the business –
 
Seven different prime ministers and 14 England football managers have come and gone in the 40 years since licensee Harry Burton took over the Nelson and Railway pub in Kimberley, Nottingham. The achievement of becoming Nottingham’s oldest licensee has been celebrated by Greene King, with four decades in the bag making him the longest serving licensee with the company.

Harry took over the lease for the pub back in 1970 at 29 years of age, after joking with the then tenants, Bill and Addie Williamson that he would like to take on the business some day. They themselves had held the licence for 24 years, since 1946. At the time of joining the pub, Harry was an instrument mechanic in the RAF and a regular visitor to the pub. His family grew up and lived in a house directly opposite.

Speaking about the anniversary, Harry said: “It’s quite extraordinary to believe I’ve been running this pub for 40 years now. Things have changed a lot. When I took on the business, we were still using a pre-decimal currency system, and the price of a pint of bitter was around two shillings and a penny. From memory, a band called The Beatles had just released Let it Be in the charts, Brazil won the World Cup and Edward Heath became Prime Minister.”

On hand to recognise this momentous occasion was managing director for Greene King Pub Partners Simon Longbottom and regional manager Paul Vavasour. Harry was presented with vouchers and a bottle of quality brandy to help celebrate the achievement.

Paul Vavasour,  operations manager for Greene King Pub Partners, said: “Hats off to Harry for this remarkable achievement. To have been able to run a successful business and adapt to changing market conditions over four decades shows what a great asset he has been for the people of Kimberley and Greene King.”

Today, the pub is run by Harry’s son Mick (44), who took over the day-to-day running of the business in 2002. However, as the licensee holder, Harry is still on hand to provide support and business advice to Mick.

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For further information please contact James Cameron jamesc@consolidatedpr.com or Lottie Dutton lottied@consolidatedpr.com on 020 7781 2300

Notes to Editors:

The Nelson and Railway pub, Station Road, Kimberley, Nottinghamshire               NG16 2NR

http://nelsonandrailway.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4&Itemid=4
About The Nelson and Railway
http://www.nelsonandrailway.co.uk/

The Nelson and Railway, so called as it was originally two pubs which were knocked together approx 150 years ago, is run by Harry and his son Mick Burton. It includes 11 en-suite letting rooms which have recently been upgraded. It was the former “brewery tap” of the Kimberley brewery.

The neighbouring town to the west is Eastwood, birthplace of D.H.Lawrence and the pub is close to Newstead Abbey, once home to Lord Byron.

Significant events happening when Harry took over the Nelson and Railway:

• Edward Heath becomes Prime Minister
• The first jumbo jet, the Boeing 747, enters service
• Apollo 13 is launched towards the moon

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