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© Copyright Graham Horn and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

The Thatchers Arms was situated on North Street. This pub closed in 2009 and is now used as a private house.

My family lived at ‘Willows’ just opposite the Thatchers Arms. One Summer my mother noticed that our dog Penny, a gregarious and cunning Labrador, was disappearing at about 12:30 and sleeping off the afternoon. We didn’t give her lunch, so it appeared that someone else in the hamlet of North Street was. One day, Mum followed Penny as she trotted off down the driveway, my mother dodging behind shrubbery or the corner of the garage in order not to be spotted. She was just far enough behind Penny to see her stop at the end of the drive look right, left and right again before crossing the road and barging through front door of the Thatcher's Arms. Penny avoided the pretension of the Saloon bar and bowled into the Public Bar where she was greeted by a chorus of ‘Hello Penny!” and “How are yer Penny!” from the retired agricultural workers over their pints of mild, but no lunch. Instead she was treated to half a pint on weekdays and a pint at weekends courtesy of Dave Chamberlain, the landlord. She was more of a local than we were - sadly the vet advised against it.

Steven Rhodes (January 2017)

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Name	Dates	Comments
Phil Humber	1978-1992	Was a 13 year old bottling up after school, moving on to barman, etc for Dave (RIP) and Judith Chamberlain. Great memories of lots of people and personalities. Where's Greavsie these days?
John Watson	1978-1984	Used to drink there, when Les was the publican then Dave and Judith. Customers remembered Jacket, Paul Greaves, lot of Theale Motors staff, John Edolls, Joe the coal man, Alfie. We used to take dogs in there real old style country pub.