Les Koncsik, 75, licensee at the Crown & Anchor, Faversham, Kent, won the Lifetime Achievement Award in last week’s annual Shepherd Neame awards.
He told the Publican’s Morning Advertiser how he’s seen the industry change, and revealed what keeps his passion alive.
After moving to the UK from Hungary in 1956 as an engineer student aged 16, Koncsik did not want to work in a pub, and was “coached into it” by his mother-in-law.
He first became a licensee in 1970, and has been a tenant at the Crown & Anchor since 1982.
“I’ve known some customers for 45 years, they’re the same age as me,” he said.
“We’ve known each other for so long we would do anything for each other - they’re absolutely wonderful and come in to see me every day. They’re not customers, they’re my friends. ”
Koncsik has witnessed a “huge change” in the industry, especially with the swing towards food sales.
“Before you’d be lucky to get a sandwich,” he said. He still makes the majority of money from wet sales, but he has gradually focused more on food.
Koncsik said used to open 12-2pm on Sundays. “Drinking habits have changed greatly. If you opened five minutes early on a Sunday everybody thought they had hit the jackpot,” he said.
“The wife knew her husband was going to the pub until two and would be back for Sunday lunch, that doesn’t happen now.”
Licensing laws have also affected Koncsik’s lifestyle, with pubs staying open later. “But customers haven’t changed very much,” he added. “We’ve always had young and old coming in, it’s a mixed clientele. It’s a great clientele, touch wood that hasn’t ever changed.”
Koncsik’s niece has moved to live with him from Hungary, and is learning English. “She’ll take my place one day,” he said.
But Koncsik has no plans to stop pulling pints any time soon. “I enjoy my job, I would not know what to do if I didn’t do it,” he said. “I’m not one to sit in the corner with my toenails curling waiting for the grim reaper to arrive. When you get to my age you don’t think of the future, you have only got the now, and any time I can keep going I’ll do it.”