Hundreds turn out to remember former Northampton landlord 'who would help anyone'

Dave De Clerk, 75, who set up and ran three pubs across Northamptonshire in a career lasting more than 40 years, died on April 29 from health complications.

At his funeral on Monday (May 14), hundreds of friends, family and customers paid tribute to "the man who can" at his former pub and local The Compass Inn in Milton Malsor.

His partner of 22 years Linda Pitman said: "We'll all miss him so much. He was a lovely man who would go out of his way to do a favour for anybody who asked.

"Everyone knew him as a 'man who can'. He could get his hands on anything or knew someone who could."

Dave was born in Derbyshire in 1943 and worked as a doorman in London in his youth, including time at one of the Kray Twins' establishments.

When he came to Northampton in the 1980s, he began a long career as a pub landlord by renovating the Red Lion in Harpole and turning it into a truck stop.

"He made that pub what it is today," said Linda. "He was almost famous for offering truckers beds and showers. he was up at 5am to do them breakfasts."

Over the next 30 years, Dave would also use his magic on The Pomfret Arms in Far Cotton and the Compass Inn in Milton Malsor. AT one point, he was Northampton's longest serving landlord with a record of 32 years.

In later life, he made deliveries for both Mercedes and Land Rover, which led to Mercedes providing procession cars for his funeral this week.

He leaves behind three children, five grandchildren and one great-grandson.

Linda said: "He was such a character. He could never be called boring and was always doing something. We will all miss him.

"Thank you to everyone who helped provide for his funeral. you've been so generous."