Well-loved Carnforth pub landlady celebrates milestone anniversary

Publican Christine Bintcliffe has been at the helm at The Carnforth Hotel in Lancaster Road for an impressive 30 years.

It was 35 years ago when she took her first steps into the licensing trade running a pub in Stockport for five years before making the move to Carnforth.

Together with her trusted sidekick and sister-in-law Dot Bintcliffe, she has steered the pub through a three-decade-long transition taking on various changes from the smoking ban to Covid restrictions in her stride.

Christine said: “Despite the changes over the last 30 years, the essence of running a good pub remains the same and in fact, there is a lot less trouble in pubs now compared to when I first started.

“Knowing your customers and being the face of the business is key to its success. My favourite part of the job is having a laugh and a joke with the regulars, and I have no plans to give up the trade I love.”

With that passion for making the locals happy, Christine regularly hosts live music acts and supports calendar events with annual Halloween and Christmas parties for both adults and children to enjoy.

To celebrate her impressive milestone, The Carnforth Hotel owners Punch Pubs & Co presented Christine and Dot with an honorary plaque and a bottle of brandy.

Operations Manager Rebecca Davies said: “Christine is a well-loved publican, famous for her humour and it has been my pleasure to present her with a plaque for an incredible 30-year achievement. She truly is the spirit of The Carnforth Hotel.”

As part of the celebration, Christine, who is known to love a party, planned an extravagant 30th anniversary event last month with performances from four live music acts and prosecco on arrival for all guests.

She added: “Dot and I are really looking forward to celebrating with all of our loyal customers and look forward to many more years here at The Carnforth.”

Punch Pubs & Co is an independent pub company with around 1,300 pubs across the UK.