A PARTY for past and present staff and customers was staged by Gary and Jacqui Salt to mark the end of an era at the Horse and Jockey pub at Knighton, as they leave after 28 years of owning and running the pub.

The couple bought the pub with members of their family in 1989 and since then have transformed the traditional pub into an award winning guest house with eight en-suite rooms and a restaurant.

The couple, originally from Nottingham, have run the business on their own for the last 15 years and their three children were all born at the Jockey and all worked in the pub and restaurant before moving away with two of them going into the hospitality trade.

The pub has now been sold and to mark the end of their time at the Jockey, Gary and Jacqui put on a party for all their staff past and present and all their customers over the years. At the party there was live music throughout the afternoon and evening and the pub was totally packed.

“We have seen three generations, some were not even born when we first came to Knighton. It has been lovely sharing our lives with the locals and to have shared in so many of their celebrations in this lovely town, Knighton will always be our home. The people of Knighton are really friendly and genuine,” said Jacqui.

“Selling the pub has come at just the right time in our lives and to make our last year so special we won the Mid Wales Pub of the Year Award. I would like to praise the amazing team who have working for us both past and present and wish the new owners all the best for the future,” she said.

n ABOVE: Gary and Jacqui Salt are seen, front middle, outside the Horse and Jockey in Knighton on the day of the farewell party with some of the many people who attended the event.

Picture: JANE BYWATER