Leanne and Guy clock up a combined half century

Two Wetherspoon pub managers in northeast England have clocked up a combined 50 years’ service with the company.

Leanne Surtees, pub manager at The William Jameson (Sunderland) and Guy Stoker, who runs The Bishops’ Mill (Durham), have each celebrated their 25-year milestone with Wetherspoon.

Leanne started in September 2000 as a full-time bar associate at Union Rooms (Newcastle upon Tyne) (no longer a Wetherspoon pub). She spent five years there progressing up the career ladder.

She became deputy manager at The Sir William de Wessyngton (Washington) for a year before stepping up to pub manager there in 2006, a role she held for two years.

A spell as pub manager at The Lambton Worm (Sunderland) (no longer a Wetherspoon pub) followed, before a move to the newly opened The Five Swans (Newcastle upon Tyne) in 2011, where Leanne stayed for 10 years.

Leanne, who took over at The William Jameson in October 2021, said: “When I started with the company, I was looking for a career, but didn’t know whether it would be in the pub industry.

“I received really good training, giving me the confidence to progress, and it was one step at a time as I learned more.”

She added: “It has been hard work, but I have enjoyed my time in every pub. Wetherspoon is a good company, with good benefits and work-life balance.”

Guy took over at The Bishops’ Mill in January 2008, having started with the company as a shift manager at The Plimsoll Line (Redcar) in 2000.

He also worked at Union Rooms, as well as a brief spell as holding manager at The Fire Station (Whitley Bay) before taking on his first pub-manager role at The Forum (Hexham).

He moved to the newly opened pub The Lambton Worm in 2003, for three years, and a further two years back at Union Rooms before taking over at The Bishops’ Mill.

Guy recalls: “I was out with friends at The Rohan Kanhai (Ashington) when I saw that Wetherspoon was recruiting, so gave it a go – and Martin Geoghegan interviewed me for the job.

“I saw the opportunity as a future career straight away and was so determined to be successful, completing my training within nine months.

“I was young, worked hard and travelled to Edinburgh regularly, on my days off, for training because I knew that I wanted to go further.”

Guy and Leanne are pictured, each holding a framed certificate and bottle of Champagne.