The Great Northern's landlady is heading for retirement after 32 years

Mary Cousins bought the pub on Bute Street with her husband in 1985 and has enjoyed every minute of her time as the landlady but she feels now is the right time to call last orders at The Great Northern.

She said: “It’s been 32 years in September, my poor old legs can’t take it anymore, after working the weekend, I’m tired, things I could do two years ago take twice as long now, it’s the right time to retire for me.

“The pub was mine and my husband’s, sadly he passed away nine years ago, and it has just been me running it.”

Mary has always enjoyed being a landlady and she will miss the customers that have become her regulars over the years.

She said: “I used to work for Whitbread and at the Sportsman in Stopsley before I came here, I enjoy meeting people.

“I will miss the customers the most, you get to know them and we have our regulars, not as many as ten years ago as times have changed.

“This is an pub for older people, the old boys come in for the company, they have a few pints and then get a taxi home.

“There is a different crowd here in the day compared to the evening, we don’t get many young people coming here.

The 58-year-old is hoping to sell the pub to someone who will continue to run it as a pub, she said: “I would like to see a couple come in and run the pub, it does well, it is a good little business.

“I would like it to stay as a pub but I don’t think it will, I think because of the way the area is being changed into the town’s cultural quarter, it won’t remain as a pub.”

If anyone is interested in taking over the pub please contact us Fred Barrett and Son on 01908 281542, or [email protected].