Wiltshire pub owners celebrate 50 years before handing over

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 20 Oct, 11:58 · Archive

Ron and Ruth Turner are stepping down from The Boot Inn in Tisbury after 50 years, handing the pub to their son Oliver.

Ron and Ruth Turner have celebrated 50 years running The Boot Inn in Tisbury, Wiltshire. They arrived in October 1976 expecting to stay just three years but became cornerstones of village life, stepping down in favour of their son Oliver, who has increasingly taken on day-to-day running of the business.

The couple, both formerly of Sussex Police, came to the pub almost by chance while attending a family funeral. Learning the landlord was retiring, they applied for the tenancy and secured the role.

Ruth reflected on their unexpected long tenure: 'We thought three years, didn't we?' Ron replied: 'Forty-seven years later.' In 2008, the family purchased the pub from Marston's, securing its future as an independent free house.

During their five decades at The Boot Inn, the Turners transformed it into a community hub. They hosted charity cricket matches, open mic nights, beer festivals and ski trips, raising funds for causes including Salisbury Hospice, Wiltshire Air Ambulance and families facing hardship.

How it is being reported

• Village pub owners stepping down after 50 years at the heart of communityThe owners of a Wiltshire village pub are celebrating 50 years behind the bar.Wiltshire Times · 20 Oct, 11:38
• Village pub owners stepping down after 50 years at the heart of communityThe owners of a Wiltshire village pub are celebrating 50 years behind the bar.Gazette & Herald · 20 Oct, 11:38
• Wiltshire village pub owners celebrate 50 years at the heart of communityRon and Ruth Turner celebrate 50 years at Tisbury’s Boot Inn, Wiltshire, handing the village pub to son Oliver after decades of community service on October 17.Salisbury Journal · 20 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Ron Turner · Ruth Turner · Oliver Turner · The Boot Inn · Tisbury · Wiltshire · Salisbury Hospice · Wiltshire Air Ambulance

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