Operator of the Grey Horse in Shiremoor, Northumberland, June Dixon, has been at the pub for the past five decades and licensee for 24 years.
Dixon first arrived at the pub in 1974, having been born and raised in the local area. After joining The Grey Horse, she worked her way up through the ranks, eventually becoming the pub’s manager in 1993, before taking the helm in 2000.
Sharing her passion for hospitality, Dixon said: “This is a really exciting milestone I feel incredibly proud to be celebrating.
Wonderful community
“The past five decades have been amazing and I couldn’t have done any of it without all the incredible support I’ve had from my team, the wonderful community and Admiral so I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has played their part in making this all possible.
“As I move into my 51st year here at The Grey Horse, I will endeavour to continue cementing it at the heart of Shiremoor and I look forward to seeing what the future holds.”
The 200-year-old village pub is owned by community pub company Admiral, which has approximately 1,420 pubs across England, Scotland and Wales.
On top of a wide range of premium draught beers including Coors, Madri and Guinness, The Grey Horse features several television screens complete with Sky and TNT Sports.
In addition, it hosts weekly darts and ‘Super League’ evenings to further facilitate the community coming together.
Incredible achievement
Commemorating Dixon’s time at the pub, Admiral Taverns’ CEO Chris Jowsey recently presented the operator with a certificate recognising her incredible service to both the pub and the local community.
Admiral Taverns business development manager Samantha Banks said: “On behalf of myself and the whole team at Admiral, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to June for this incredible achievement.
“She really has worked tirelessly during her reign at The Grey Horse to create a fantastic community pub that offers a warm, welcoming atmosphere to all that walk through the door.
“It’s been a pleasure working with June and supporting her vision and I’m looking forward to seeing the pub continue to flourish for years to come.”
