Couple who turned Wolverhampton post office in to multi-award winning micropub that hosted Starmerr to retire after 13 years
A couple who turned a former post-office branch into an award-winning pub that counted the Prime Minister among its customers are retiring after nearly 13 years.
Gary and Angela Morton, who have kept the Hail to the Ale pub at the former post office in Claregate, Wolverhampton since 2013, will hand control over to their son Peter on April 1.
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Wolverhampton's first real-ale focused micropub, Hail to the Ale in Pendeford Avenue has won the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) Wolverhampton pub of the year on seven occasions, and has three times received the Camra regional title. It has also twice picked up the cider pub of the year title, and has been short-listed for the national pub of the year title.
On one occasion Sir Keir Starmer dropped in ahead of Arsenal's visit to Molineux - although Gary and Angela joked that he would not get such a warm reception if he returned to the pub now.
"We had no idea he was coming until he walked through the door," said Gary .
"We knew something was happening, because we had two security staff come in beforehand, but we didn't know what it was about."
A number of pubs have since imposed bans on Labour MPs in protest against government policy on business rates and taxation. The couple say they did not plan to add their name to that list , but he might get a few choice words should he return.
"I wouldn't ban him, but I would give him a piece of my mind if he came back," said Gary.
"He's welcome back once he sorts the business rates out," added Angela.
The couple said they hoped that taking a step back from running the pub would allow them to spend more time with their grandchildren in Gloucester.
"I'm 65 now, and it's quite a tough job being behind the bar all the time, being with the customers all the time, and getting everything right for them."
Gary first opened a brewery at the couple's home in Coven in 2006, and decided to open a pub to sell it in 2013.
"We're over the moon over how it took off," said Gary. "It went from strength to strength, and we couldn't have done it without the support of our customers.
"Right from the start I knew we had to pick the best beers, so we got in the Camra Good Beer Guide straight away."
Angela said that Peter, 28, had been working in the brewery since he was a child, and knew the business 'inside out'.
"We're still here to help him, but we hope to be spending more time on the other side of the bar," said Angela, 62.
"We will be able to spend some time with our customers who have become friends. I'm also looking forward to being able to go out for Sunday dinner."
