Landlord of popular pub in Northampton bids heartfelt final farewell after boozer is sold to new owners

The manager of a popular Northampton pub has said their final farewells after two “memorable” years at the establishment.

The operators at The Foundrymans Arms, in St James, have bid a heartfelt goodbye to punters following the recent sale of the boozer.

The pub is one of four “charming” establishments recently sold off by McManus Pub Company to Valiant Pub Company.

In a Facebook post, The Foundrymans Arms said: “I've just handed the keys over to the new owner. It was actually harder than I thought it would be. Lots of memories for lots of people.

"We will definitely miss The Foundry that we knew and loved. Thank you to everyone that supported me the last two years also to everyone that supported my family. We are grateful for you all.

"As you may know, I'm on to a new adventure, not far away. Come visit us over the road at the Thomas A Beckett. Can't wait to see you all but for now it's goodbye from The Foundry. Take care and we will see you soon.”

The four McManus pubs sold to Valiant include The Lord Byron in Kingsley, The Fox and Hounds in Kingsthorpe, The Golden Horse in Far Cotton, and The Foundrymans Arms in St James.

Gary McManus, managing director of McManus Pub Company, said: “This is not a decision we have taken lightly, and it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to a group of pubs that has been with us for many years. We would like to thank all of our guests that have dined, drank and supported us through the years. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to all of our teams, past and present, for their hard work and dedication and we wish them all the best for the future.

“It is the right time in our journey to reduce our liabilities and establish more solid foundations for the business. It gives us confidence to refocus our growth and explore exciting opportunities in bedrooms, wet led and neighbourhood venues, both locally and regionally.

“We would like to wish Valiant Pub Co and their teams every success and hope that these pubs will continue to serve their local communities for many years to come.”

One of Valiant’s first moves has been to change the name of The Lord Byron to The Old Bank, which has raised some eyebrows on social media as it clashes with Greene King’s The Old Bank pub in the town centre.