Devon pub landlady and manager leave after 'losing love from locals'

A Devon pub landlady and manager have decided to step back as they say they have "lost the loyalty and love from the local community". They took on the pub more than a year ago to save it from closure.

Joe Bolton and Ann Spence have announced they will be leaving The Thirsty Farmer pub in Whimple in a few weeks' time. The pair took it on as manager and landlady in February 2023 to save it from closure but they now say that "mistakes" made during their time there have "tarnished [their] hard work".

Ann is a familiar face at pubs around Devon, perhaps best-known for her Christmas light displays, a tradition she continued when she left The Stoke Arms and took on The Bishop Blaize in February 2023, where she remains landlady. Joe is also well-known in Exeter as the founder of Sugar Rush Confectionery, an online pick'n'mix sweet shop, established in 2012.

They will be hosting a farewell party to mark their departure at the end of May. Announcing the news on Facebook today (April 4), they said they "couldn't be any more gutted" and that they "only ever had the right intentions".

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Joe wrote: "We have made it just over a year at The Thirsty Farmer and we have loved every minute. But recent months have shown us that something is not quite right here at The Farmer.

"When we took over back in Feb 2023 we only ever did so to keep the doors open, but we very quickly fell in love with the pub and the locals that used it.

"Myself and Ann couldn’t be any more gutted to be writing this status, but we will be leaving The Thirsty Farmer over the coming few months. We both feel that for many reasons we have lost the loyalty and love from the local community and us continuing at The Farmer is not right for the pub and its customers.

"Mistakes were made along the way that tarnished the hard work we put into the pub and the reflection from many have shown us that it’s time for us to hand over the baton. Please know that where mistakes may have been made myself and Ann only ever had the right intentions.

"I would like to end this status by saying thank you to everyone who tried to support us, and I’m so sorry it wasn’t enough for us to keep the doors of the farmer open for you.

"We will be having a big goodbye party at the end of May and we would love for everyone to come spend the night with us and say goodbye, as it’s truly been an honour."