Oxhey pub The Rifle Volunteer's Chris Pyrke says goodbye

Chris Pyrke capped off his time at The Rifle Volunteer with a three-day celebration alongside staff and regulars at the Villiers Road pub last week and received numerous touching messages.

New landlords have now moved in and will take over with big shoes to fill after what locals described as “like the end of an era”.

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Rifle Volunteer celebrations in their custom shirts for the day (Chris Pyrke centre) (Image: Rifle Volunteer)

Chris said: “One of the things that’s really come through is that we have built a community here, it’s a great pub, people feel like they belong to this community.

“Looking back, we have had fabulous times in this pub.

"We never stopped laughing. The bar staff used to make me laugh every day.”Chris Pyrke says goodbye to the Rifle Volunteer (Image: Rifle Volunteer)

It sounds like there were some teary-eyed moments at the party, but regulars don’t have to worry too much.

Although Chris has decided to take a full year off after almost three decades of working seven-days-a-week, he is only moving “down the road” and can be expected back at the other side of the bar.

Explaining the decision to leave, he said: “I was in an end of lease situation, trying to negotiate the lease.

“The terms weren’t quite right for me — and I’ve got my health.

"I realised there were more reasons not to sign than to sign, so it was a time to think.”

During his year off he will undergo two surgeries for his hips.

Health didn’t dampen the “great” going away weekend, but the 58-year-old did admit to wishing the three-day celebration would end at times.

Rifle Volunteer celebrations (Image: Rifle Volunteer)“Normally a three-day celebration is something you only do in your 20s not your 50s,” he joked.

Community group OVEG said Chris made The Rifle “a central component of our community” and numerous other messages flew in with patrons telling the former landlord he "doesn’t realise the impact the pub had" on people’s lives.

It was involved in many charity and community events. During lockdown the pub delivered meals and food to shielding and vulnerable people.

Chris said he was surprised and humbled by the “deep” messages of thanks he received.

Rifle Volunteer celebrations (Image: Rifle Volunteer)