HE was one of Huddersfield's most popular publicans.
Gerald Hinchliffe, who has died at the age of 67, was a charismatic figure, well-known to generations of Huddersfield drinkers.
He will be sadly missed among many groups in Huddersfield.
For more than 30 years his life had been Huddersfield pubs.
He spent many years working alongside John and Margaret Moran at the Albert in Victoria Lane.
He then had a stint at The White Hart in Cloth Hall Street.
But in 1990, he took over behind the bar at The County in Princess Street and created what real ale enthusiasts later described as "a haven from the hustle and bustle of the town centre".
Not that The County was a quiet pub.
Under Mr Hinchliffe's stewardship it became a popular venue for a variety of customers.
Pensioners queued up outside for the pub to open for one of the popular lunches, while concertgoers at Huddersfield Town Hall would cross the road to the bar before, during and after functions at the hall.
And for many of the music students at Huddersfield University it became their regular watering hole.
Regular customers included Matt Stiff, who was a student at the university before he rose to fame as one quarter of hit group G4.
Mr Hinchliffe, who had earlier worked at Honley Socialist Club, retired in 2002, to enjoy his hobbies of motoring and travel.
He lived in Towngate, Newsome, and fought a long battle with cancer, which ended in Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.
His funeral service will be at Huddersfield Crematorium at 2.30pm on Friday.
