St Leonards pub to re-open again this weekend after closing due to the death of popular landlord

The pub, known affectionately to locals as ‘The Doom and Gloom’, had been closed following the death of landlord David Sansbury a few weeks ago. David, who had run the pub for years had been diagnosed with cancer.

David’s funeral takes place on Thursday March 24. People will be gathering at the pub at 1pm, where the hearse will then travel to St John’s Church for 1.30pm.

The wake will then take place at the Horse and Groom, which will open until 8pm.

David was well known for his idiosyncratic ways, once, allegedly, banning a drinker for ‘having the wrong sort of laugh’.

But he was known to be big-hearted and for keeping an excellent beer cellar. Pub regulars were fiercely loyal to the Horse and Groom, which is the oldest pub in St Leonards.

Regular pub user Erica Smith had reported that plans to keep the pub going as David would have wanted were looking positive.

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