Early morning drinkers at Smalltown’s Willow Arms were shocked to discover that the pub’s tables weren’t sticky on Wednesday morning, with the reason for this apparently due to the appearance of Witherspoons pub chain boss Jim Housemartin.
Regular Timothy Taylor said “I was surprised to find that, having put my pint down on the bar, I was able to lift it up again immediately, with none of the usual problem of it sticking to the surface. It was almost as if a member of staff had wiped the bar with a damp cloth prior to my arrival.”
Manager of the Willow Arms, Dik Pope said “No, honestly, we had no idea Mr Housemartin was coming here. He regularly visits his pub’s unannounced and it was a total conincidence that he visited us in Smalltown just after we’d done our annual table clean.”
Mr Housemartin also took the opportunity to check out the pub’s toilets, newly refurbished by Sadgebore District Council and located on the Seafront, with pub customer John Smith saying “He asked me where the toilets were, so I told him that it would be quicker to use the public conveniences, rather than climb the four flights of stairs to the Willow Arms’ actual facilities. He took my advice.”
Having sampled a freshly-cooked-just-for- him breakfast Mr Housemartin bought a round of drinks for customers on expenses before heading off to the Witherspoons pub in Fridgpond for lunch.