Twelve years after she pulled her first pint at the Wellington Arms, Bedford, Liz Sutton is now taking her rightful place behind the bar and with her name above the door.
“I started working here part-time and just completely fell in love with the place,” said Liz.
“Everyday I wake up and I’m excited about going to work. The team are amazing and our customers are incredible.
“There are a lot of good pubs in Bedford, but this one is extra special.”
The Welly, on Wellington Street, is one of the most well-loved pubs in the town and its real ale ethos is obvious as soon as you step through the door.
There is barely an inch of shelf space that doesn’t include bottles and beer paraphernalia plus hundreds of pump clips adorn the ceilings.
“I took all the bottles down about five years ago to wash them,” said Liz. “It was the most futile thing I’ve ever done.”
The first initiative under Liz’s management was to allow well-behaved dogs into the pub – “That was a very popular decision!” – and there will be a beer festival later in the year.
“I’m looking forward to welcoming the next generation of Welly drinkers here,” said Liz. “I’m very respectful of the pub’s legacy and we want to make sure it has a future.”
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