Enterprise: Family of licensees ends 67 years of running pubs

Tony Johnson, 74, ran the Railway Tavern with his wife Carol, 72, from 1987 to this year - and was treated to a surprise party from licensees across the area.

Members of the Johnson family have been running pubs in Salisbury for a total of 67 years, so the retirement represents the end of an era for local boozers. 

Bob Johnson, Tony’s father, started in the trade in Salisbury in 1949 when he took over what was the Bell and Crown, now The Cloisters, also owned by Enterprise Inns.

RAF

In 1984 Tony left the RAF to join his then widowed mother Vera at the pub so she could fulfil her ambition of completing 40 years in the business. After three years there they moved to the Railway Tavern.

The party, at the George and Dragon, was organised by the pubco's regional manager Alex Howell in thanks to their long service and for developing the Railway as a hub for the local community.

Howell said: “They are a very likeable couple who worked tremendously hard over many years and took great pride in supporting winning teams at football, darts, pool and cribbage.

Lad

“Tony in particular liked to join in, he was ‘one of the lads’, and enjoyed playing cribbage with his customers.

“I thought they deserved something special to mark their retirement so I invited other long-standing publicans and close family for a cream tea buffet afternoon to celebrate with them.”

His daughter Karen was also a licensee in Salisbury for a time, running the Halfway House for a couple of years in the 1980s, while Johnson's sister, Pat Churchill, ran the Railway Inn (The Dust Hole) for eight years in the 1970s.