Pub couple prepare for New Year party tinged with sadness

Popular landlords at The White Hart, Richard and Hazel Hewson, announced in November they would be leaving and they will call ‘last orders’ for the final time on Sunday.

The couple transformed the Thorpe End pub over the last two-and-a-half years, quickly growing a reputation for hosting live music, including popular regular jazz gigs.

They’ve tried everything to make it profitable, with music quizzes, film nights, themed evenings, jam nights, Sunday lunches and piano bar afternoons but it has been a financial challenge.

The couple have thanked their regular customers and many of them have become close friends.

Ahead of their New Year’s Eve party, Richard told the Melton Times: “It is going to be a massive loss for Melton – what we do is not going to be replaced.”

They did explore buying the pub from Admiral Taverns but the company declined.

"Our customers are absolutely gutted that we are leaving,” Hazel told us.

"Some of them were keen to put some money into it.”

Their live music offering was enhanced when the couple created a stage area for performers.

Hazel, who said they had not decided what to do next, said: “This was our first pub and we were really interested in doing live music more than anything else.

"On Sunday afternoons we would have 100 people in here and some of them come on their own when they wouldn’t otherwise have gone out.

"The sad thing is a lot of people won’t have a social life after we close.”