Landlady says goodbye to pub after 39 years

PUBLICAN Gillian Swift has ended a 39-year term of office at The White House.

Mrs Swift, 56, is leaving the country pub that has been a way of life for her for almost four decades.

Mrs Swift arrived at the pub - on Chain Road between Slaithwaite, Meltham and Marsden - when her father, Brian Sykes, became landlord in January, 1965.

Mr Sykes previously ran the Legh Arms at Prestbury, near Macclesfield in Cheshire.

Later, Mrs Swift became licensee at The White House and oversaw its expansion from a small country hostelry to a popular, award-winning pub with a restaurant and letting bedrooms.

She said: "When we came here there was no flush toilet. There were two outside toilets at the bottom of the car park.

"The White House has been a pub since 1790 and we are only the third family to run it."

Mrs Swift said: "The property has expanded over the years. When we came it was a little local pub with no food sales.

"The restaurant was originally the living accommodation. We have also extended the building and installed a second bar."

Mrs Swift sold the freehold to pub group Enterprise Inns two-and-a-half years ago but stayed on as The White House's First Lady.

The pub has also won awards from Enterprise Inns for its food and wines.

She said: "We have customers who have been coming since we moved in."

Mrs Swift married her husband Alan 32 years ago. The couple's daughter, Helen, also works at the pub, which has more than 20 staff.

The new publicans at The White House are Phil and Suzy Tate, who also run the Will's O' Nat's at Meltham.

Mrs Swift said leaving the pub would give her more time to devote to other interests.

She chairs the public affairs sub-committee of West Yorkshire Women's Institute and recently led a group on a visit to Brussels to lobby local Euro-MPs.

Mrs Swift said Alan, 58, would be able to concentrate on his job as an accountant at Mileta Sports in Heckmondwike.

The couple, who live at Farnley Tyas, will also be able to spend more time with 14-month-old granddaughter Amber.

Mrs Swift said: "It is a wrench to leave. This has been my life, really.

"All the customers are sad to see us go. They have called it the end of an era."

She said: "We have worked hard to keep pace with the changes, but there has always been a sense of tradition and we have retained a really strong customer base."