White Horse landlords ride off into sunset after 10 years
Landlords Mev Madoorapen and Simon Niemiec will be leaving community pub The White Horse on High Street London Colney at the end of this year. - Credit: Supplied
After a decade of success, well-loved London Colney pub landlords are saying farewell to their punters.
Business partners Mev Madoorapen and Simon Niemiec, who both live in the village took over The White Horse on the High Street and after a successful 10-year tenure they will be handing over their keys at the end of this year.
It has been testing times for the industry as a whole, with other village locals The Kings Head, The White Lion and The Golden Lion all having been turned into housing.
In order to remain at the heart of community life they have hosted regular steak nights, karaoke evenings and charity fundraisers.
Simon said: "It's been a long couple of years with COVID and lockdowns.
"It has felt like 20 years at times and others it has been an absolute joy. We’ve raised £25,000 for the Cancer Treatment and Research Trust at Mount Vernon Hospital and Happy Days Children charity, given live music the platform we think it deserves and supported many local football, darts and pool teams.
In a message to customers, the pair said that the pub would be staying as a pub but that they did not have many more details than that:
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"All things must move on...hopefully we have left some kind of legacy because we've always said that it's not our pub, it's yours. We shall party hard and give The Horse the send off she deserves."
Simon added: "Thank you again to everyone that supported us the during the last 10 years. We still live in this village in which we were both born and raised so we will still see everyone, just not as their local pub landlords."
Messages of support have been posted by customers on the pub's Facebook page.
Alan Little said: "All good things must come to an end, and the White Horse was a great thing! Thank you Simon and Mev for keeping the heart of London Colney beating for so long. I cannot count how many amazing nights I've had, sitting at the corner of the bar. I will always be thankful of the lifelong friends the White Horse has given me."
Philippe Didier Prout added: "Have so many memories all because you guys took a downtrodden pub and turned it into the centre of Colney. Not to mention all the support for the community and charities along the way. That there is a legacy to be proud of. Wouldn't miss the send off for the world."
Their last day will be January 7.
