Silver celebrations at Flower Pot

February 22, 2017

Tony Read & Pat Thatcher, licensees of the Flower Pot in Aston with their ‘Silver Celebration’ ale. Photo courtesy of Henley Herald

Pat Thatcher and Tony Read, licensees at the Flower Pot in Aston, were recently presented with a special ‘Silver Celebration’ pump clip and a barrel of Brakspear Bitter to mark their 25 years at the popular pub.

Enjoying the beer at a special party for regulars and friends, Pat and Tony recalled the highlights of their quarter-century at the pub.  Pat said, “When we took on the pub, we never imagined we’d still be here 25 years later! The whole family has been involved over the years including my granddaughter who recently helped out behind the bar.”

The Flower Pot was Pat & Tony’s local back in 1992, and when they learned that the landlord was leaving, they decided to try their hand at running it.  Although Pat had worked in the catering industry, Tony was a builder – so taking the keys to a pub was something of a leap of faith. “We didn’t think too hard about it,” says Tony. “If we had, we probably wouldn’t be here now!”

Over the years, the pub has attracted its fair share of celebrities including Sir Tom Jones, Vinnie Jones, Brigitte Nielsen, Marco Pierre White to name just a few.  It has also raised a huge amount of money for local charities, the latest campaign being for Cancer Research, with Pat’s granddaughter Katie having raised £1,000 already through a planned parachute jump.

The Flower Pot also has a more unusual boast, as home to the UK’s largest private collection of cased fish, with more than 80 adorning its walls, including a 50+lb pike.  “We get a lot of fishing parties in here, so it’s a relevant theme and it gets customers talking,” says Tony.

The world has changed since Pat & Tony moved into the Flower Pot, but the pub itself hasn’t changed too much. Tony said, “The price of beer has gone up from £1.40 a pint in 1992 to £3.80 today! But the pub has stayed the same, it’s unspoilt and that’s why our regulars love it.”

Tony added, “We’ve enjoyed almost every minute of our time at the Flower Pot, and I think that comes through in how guests experience the pub – if we weren’t happy, they wouldn’t be either.“

Tom Davies, Brakspear chief executive, added, “We congratulate Tony & Pat on this impressive achievement. The past 25 years have not been easy ones for the pub industry, but the Flower Pot has thrived thanks to Tony & Pat’s natural talent as landlords, creating a welcoming, friendly environment for their customers.  We’re delighted to have had them within the Brakspear family for all these years – here’s to many more of them!”