A big thank you to the 'special' woman who has kept a Southam pub 'always looking its best' for almost 40 years

Staff at a Southam pub are saying a big thank you to the woman 'who has always kept it looking its best' for almost 40 years.

Jenny Rathbone will retire from working as a cleaner at the Bowling Green in Coventry Street on Friday (December 31).

Jenny moved to Southam from Stockton when she got married and has two children Dawn and Darren.

It was when they were young that she started working at the pub, cleaning the premises on mornings on seven or five days a week for 39 years.

During this time she has cleaned up after countless Christmas Eve discos and New Year's celebrations among many other parties and events.

She’s has also seen many landlords and landladies come and go and plenty of changes including extensions to the building and new kitchens being fitted.

The pub's current landlord Mark Connors said: "Jenny's commitment over the years has been outstanding and she ensures the pub is always looking its best.

"We will all miss our morning chats and coffee with her but we wish her a very happy retirement."

Elizabeth Bench, who works at the pub, said Jenny would start her shift at the pub at 7am and would always have the place looking clean and ready to open to customers at 11am.

She added: "She really is truly valuable to the running of the place, a special friend to many of us and she will be sadly missed."