Sunderland
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Description
Sunderland The Welcome Tavern, Prospect Row 28th October 2013 From Sunderland Echo 28th July 2009 - One of the longest-serving landlords in Sunderland is reluctantly pulling his final pint. Geoff Moon is calling time as the Welcome Tavern in Barrack Street closes its doors as the recession continues to take a grip. His name has been over the door of the East End pub for 18 years, and he has spent 24 years in the pub trade. But he says unemployment, the smoking ban and supermarkets selling cheap booze have forced him to throw in the towel. Regulars and staff will bid farewell to the historic pub, which opened in 1834, before its contents are sold off and keys handed over to the new owners. Local lad Geoff, 46, has played a part in the community for many years, along with wife Julie. He runs the East End Fishing Club and was a director at development agency Back On The Map. Geoff says regulars are devastated by the news, but he was left with no choice. "We've just had enough working twice as long hours to get half the pay. "There's the smoking ban, the recession and supermarkets pumping beer out for nothing. "At one time we were very busy – seven nights a week and doing very well." He added: "It has been my life for 20-odd years and we have served the community very well. "The regulars are absolutely sick – none of them want me to leave." Dozens of pubs across Wearside have been forced to shut their doors due to the recession as the pub industry struggles to cope with plummeting custom. The final blow for Geoff was a hefty court fine for illegally broadcasting football matches shown on Sky – which he admitted to, saying he could not afford the licence. He is now training to be a fishing coach, but says the Government should do more to help out struggling licensees by clamping down on cheap alcohol sales. -
Owner
ndl642m -
Source
Flickr (Flickr) -
License
What does this mean? Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License
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Further information
Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/30581663@N05/10891607043/
Resource type: Image
Added by: Pat Thomson
Last modified: 5 years, 11 months ago
Viewed: 619 times
Picture Taken: 2011-09-15T03:35:41 -
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