AFTER more than 36 years in the pub trade landlord John Tibble and his wife Jo (above) have decided to call time. But although they are due to leave The Carpenters Arms in Cravells Road, Harpenden, at the end of this month, the couple will not cutting all

AFTER more than 36 years in the pub trade landlord John Tibble and his wife Jo (above) have decided to call time. But although they are due to leave The Carpenters Arms in Cravells Road, Harpenden, at the end of this month, the couple will not cutting all their ties with the pub. For John, aged 60, will continue to be a member of the pub's classic car club and will have a hand in running the popular annual Classics of the Common which he has organised with friend Peter Madden since 1994. John and Jo have run the Carpenters Arms for 20 years, having previously had the Fighting Cocks in St Albans for seven years and before that a pub in Pinner. John said: "Running a pub is a full-time job which you never really get away from. Even when you are on holiday you are thinking about it. "We had a good offer for our lease on this place and at the same time we decided we needed some quality time to ourselves. But we are really going to miss everything about the pub. The regulars are really great and we have had a good life here." As well as running the pub and Classics on the Common, John has also won several Harpenden in Bloom awards for the best licensed premises. He has also been awarded the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) David Burns Award. In addition the pub is the South Herts branch of CAMRA's pub of the year for the second time. John and Jo will be moving to Suffolk and plan to do more touring on their Harley Davidson motorcycle and also to spend more time looking after John's 1961 Jaguar car.