A DEVOTED couple who run what is arguably one of the country's top real ale pubs are retiring after 16 years in Writtle.
Tony and Barbara O'Boyle, both 65, waved an emotional farewell to their regulars at the Wheatsheaf on Saturday night at one of the trademark folk music nights that has made their pub so popular.
"We lost a third of our trade after the smoking ban," said former maths teacher Tony, from Newcastle.
"But then we won all of the pub awards and we got all that trade back, plus a third more."
In 2009 the tiny pub on the corner of The Green and St John's Road was crowned "pub of the year" by the Chelmsford and Mid Essex branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).
Then it scooped the same award for the whole of East Anglia before going up against 16 other pubs vying for the title of national pub of the year, only narrowly missing out.
The couple, who have been married 40 years and will retire to the seaside town of Clacton, believe the pub's success is down to their love of folk music.
There are 'house guitars' for regulars to pick up for impromptu sing-a-longs, while the pub's monthly folk Friday event attracts musicians from far and wide, who turn up with their instruments hoping for a chance to join the fun.
Tony said: "We have musicians coming from all over to play and people were turning up outside by the busload.
"The key to a successful pub is you've got to have good beer, but you've got to have the staff and you have to acknowledge the customers and talk to them, not like some places where they don't give you the time of day."
The couple are hoping to recharge their batteries in Almeria, Spain, where they will be taking a touring caravan for the entire winter.
Barbara, originally from Liverpool, added: "The customers have been smashing and made it for us, it was an emotional send-off and we got loads of presents.
"We will miss all of the people, but we won't miss the 80-hour working week."
New landlords Terry and Ursula Roberts took over on Monday.
