LANDLORDS of a traditional "back street boozer" have celebrated their 10-year anniversary of owning the community pub.
Martyn O'boyle and his wife Jackie Barry became the landlords of The Northwick Arms on Vine Street in Worcester in 2013 and have built up a community of regular punters who love coming to the friendly pub.
Mr O'boyle said: "We've just celebrated our 10-year anniversary this year and we've signed over a five-year lease.
"It is a nice area and customers say it is one of the cleanest pubs they have been to."
Nipper, who is the resident dog, is often referred to as the "star of the show" and usually spends his time strutting around the pub and greeting the customers as they walk through the door.
Although the pub is traditional, Mr O'boyle is no stranger to change and usually changes the interior of the pub every few years.
The landlords currently plan to enhance the beer garden which is already a huge sun trap for punters.
Some customers have even found the pub by accident after taking the wrong turn in their way to town.
"It is a backstreet pub, you'd be surprised by how many people know it doesn't exist.
"Although there are times when it is heaving and absolutely rammed even after Covid-19.
"People don't realise how many hours it takes to run a pub and how much work that goes into it.
"But our customers are lovely, some of them are like family now.
"Nipper is the star of the show, he's always greeting customers and the kiddies love him, he's so gentle with them.
"The pub is a suntrap, people can watch the world go by in this pub."
The community pub has helped form friendship groups and even helped lovebirds meet.
He said: "We're going to a wedding this Saturday and the people met in this pub when we were allowed to open during COVID-19.
"Within 10 minutes the pub can be heaving with people and we don't stop until it's time to close."
The pub provides a wide variety of alcohol to its punters.
"We do real ales and I look after my ale."
He said the secret to looking after ale is keeping the pipes clean.
"No matter how busy we are, we always clean the pipes.
"People will drink the same ales somewhere else and come back to tell me mine was better and it's because I always change the pipes."
And the wet-led pub has a five hygiene rating.
"We have 12 gins and 10 rums alongside our ales."
The pub could also be haunted, but Mr O'boyle said he is yet to find more evidence in order to believe it.
"Apparently there's a little boy who fell down the cellar steps and died and people say the place is haunted by him.
"I haven't seen anything myself, but we do have psychic nights.
He said a few mediums have asked about the group of ghosts who sit by the pool table in the middle of the room.
"It's the best pub in Worcester in my opinion.
"It might not be very big but it does have a lot of heart."
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