A MOBBERLEY couple have celebrated a quarter of a century running one of the village’s best-loved pubs.

Tony and Lynda Davies arrived at the Railway Inn in Station Road in 1988 after running a pub in Newton-le-Willows.

It was a case of returning home for the pair with Lynda’s family from the village and Tony from Knutsford.

Since then they have seen five changes in ownership over the years and decided to take matters into their own hands by buying it outright in 2009.

“We got compensation from the brewery for moving out, so when we came here the first thing we did was build the bowling green,” Tony said.

“Over the years we’ve had lots of familiar faces, but we had one guy who used to come in and he would catch moles for me in the field.

“I would pay him in pints, and it was dependent on how many moles he caught to how many pints he had – I think it was two moles to a pint.

“One guy also used to come in and his tipple was a bottle of Special Brew and a bottle of Glenfiddich – that was his drink, so there’s definitely been a few characters.

“Roy Keane and Bryan Robson and all the footballers over the years have come in, Sir Bobby Charlton as well. Keano used to come in here when he was injured and was in all the time.”

The inn has been a part of the couple’s family for more than 50 years.

Between 1937 and 1972, Tony’s great aunt Margaret Rustage ran the pub, and the couple now manage the inn with the help of their 33-year-old daughter Laura and son Matthew.

The couple held a big celebration party on Sunday, and Tony said it was a great to see so many familiar faces enjoying themselves in the early summer sunshine.

“It was packed all day,” he said.

“The garden was full and we had face painters, balloons, magicians and an ice cream van, and it was great for the kids and nice to see kids who have grown up here bringing their own kids back.

“A lot of pubs say they are local and friendly but we truly are.”

The pub was formally a mill house, but was converted into a pub in around 1860 when the Manchester to Chester railway line was built.

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