Horsham landlady in dream job at The Bear

The pub closed for refurbishment about a fortnight ago and opened on Friday after a complete makeover.

New landlady Amanda McLoughlin told the County Times she has always had her heart set on the place.

She said: “I started at King and Barnes. I was at the King’s Arms for eight years, Queen’s Head for 21 years, the Nelson for seven years and the Dog and Bacon for one year. I always wanted The Bear. It’s got such a lovely feel to it and the location as well. It’s lovely.

“We have done a complete sparkle of it to get it back to its original condition. Everything has been thrown out and we are starting again.

“What was the old darts room is going to be a little lounge area with sofas.”

Horsham town legend has it that long ago the past owners of The Bear and the County Times gambled in a game of cards over a part of the two buildings which interlink and the Bear’s then owner is said to have lost.

Amanda now has her own plans for the pub. She said: “We’re going to have an entrance off Glynde Place and wrought iron gates around the beer garden like in the Anchor and we’re starting food from June. We’re going to have seating on the pavement. It will hopefully attract a lot of the people waiting to go to Bill’s and I hope a lot of the old customers are coming back too.”

They pub will still show the Premiership football.

Memory Lane: page 48