Mick Hall, together with his wife Linda, will be leaving The New Inn in Enderby on September 22nd – after nearly 30 years behind the bar.

Having originally worked in the aero industry as a precision engineer and later as an inspector, Mick ran two pubs for another brewery before making the move to Everards in June 1997.

Talking about his first impressions of The New Inn, Mick recalls: “I saw a lot of potential. It was a quaint, proper English pub, sitting on the top of the hill with a thatched roof.

“It was just a bit down on its knees, so I had to pick it up, give it a shake and put some life back into it.”

Mick introduced food, which proved popular, as did parties in the pub’s skittles alley and later in the new function room. He also renovated the patio area and garden to ensure customers had somewhere nice to sit in the warmer months. 

Mick and his team have held several events over the years, notably The New Inn quiz nights, which have raised over £125,000 for the neonatal baby care unit at Leicester Royal Infirmary, in memory of his first son, Joseph.

The pub is well-loved by locals, and Mick says he has enjoyed getting to know the regulars. “It’s not like a holiday location where it’s somebody different every fortnight. You get to know people and find out what they like and what they don’t like. It’s a lovely pub with a nice vibe to it.”

On working with Everards, he says: “They've been very supportive over the past 29+ years. The key to a good relationship, business or otherwise, is communication, and there has always been somebody there to talk things over with and resolve any issues amicably, so I’ve got to know them all really well.”

The decision to leave the pub was not an easy one for Mick. A serious health issue late last year saw him go into hospital for heart surgery on New Year’s Eve, but not before marrying Linda, his partner of 14 years, earlier in the month. During his three-month recuperation period, the decision was made to call “last orders and put the towels on” for good. 

He says: “We’ll miss the people and the social side, but not the early mornings and late nights. We are also looking forward to our honeymoon at last, to our favourite destination, Egypt."

“We would also like to wish the new Everards generation and their entire team all the very best for the future."

“Thank you all. It’s been a fabulous, amazing journey and, for the last time, ‘Let’s have your glasses now please, thank you and good night.'"