LANGDON Beck Hotel’s landlady Sue Matthews is retiring this month after managing the rural pub for more than 17 years.
Mrs Matthews and her husband, Glen, arrived at hotel in September 2004.
She had been an events co-ordinator for a bank while her husband had been a publican along London’s Commercial Road, one of the city’s busiest streets.
Mrs Matthews said: “The change was absolutely huge, but it was great – a new kind of challenge.”
In their time the hotel has become renowned for its charity events, including regular darts nights, domino drives and unique cooking challenges during the winter, the results of which are sold off afterwards.
There have also been some incredibly inventive events, such as a Shepherd’s Oh’lympics, a Langdonbury Festival and a Mad Hatters Tea Party.
Most recently £2,000 has been raised for The Brain Tumour Charity through a dales dinner and charity darts night. The hotel also supported a Farmers on Tour cycle event which raised more than £25,000
Mrs Matthews said: “You have to be original when you are in the middle of nowhere, or as we say, in the middle of everywhere, because we are far from everything.”
Other charities that have benefited include Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team, the Great North Air Ambulance Service and cancer charities.
Mrs Matthews said: “I would say we have raised well over £100,000 – the charity darts night makes £500 and we have done that every year for 17 years.
“I want to say thank you to community – without them it would not have been possible.
“Ot is a really generous the community and they have been very supportive, especially when I lost Glen in 2009.”
She also paid tribute to the staff who have worked at the hotel over the years.
Mrs Matthews gave up the tenancy of Langdon Beck Hotel in October last year, but continued to manage the pub part time for Raby Estate, because “the locals wanted to keep it open for the darts and dominoes”.
She will be leaving at the end of March.
Mrs Matthews said: “I think it is time for a new change for me and for the pub – it needs new eyes and new energy.”
Although she will continue to live nearby at Bowless, Mrs Matthews plans to “travel the world” in her retirement and will be heading for Salento, in Italy, next month.
She said: “We were going to go to St Petersburg, but we decided that probably wouldn’t be a good idea.”
Raby Estate is now looking for new tenants at Langdon Beck Hotel.
Estate chief executive officer Duncan Peake said: “Lord and Lady Barnard have committed to investing in several properties across the estate and the improvement works to Langdon Beck provide a unique and exciting opportunity for a new tenant to come in and put their own stamp on the hotel, which has been popular with both visitors and local people for decades.
“The hotel has been well managed by the outgoing tenant, and has a loyal following within the local community, so this is an exciting stage in Langdon Beck’s future.”
