'It's been my dream to run a pub in England': Calderdale man returns after 30 years in US
Published Date:
23 July 2008
By Sarah Kelly
A MAN who lived in America for 30 years has returned to Cald-erdale to fulfil his dream of running an English village pub.
Chris Rochford, 56, has taken over the White Lion Hotel, Bridge Gate, Hebden Bridge.
He has only been at the pub for a few weeks but said he is already having a great time. "I decided a couple of years ago I wanted to come home. I was wondering what I might do and thought running a pub might be fun.
"I stumbled across the White Lion and I'm having a ball here. It's very sociable and I am handling the business side of it fine."
Mr Rochford grew up in King Cross, Halifax, but moved to Bristol in 1970 when he was 18.
Five years later he moved to America where he worked in a several businesses, including setting up his own removals company.
Despite spending the last 20 years in Nevada City, California, he says the lure of Yorkshire, where he still has friends from his schooldays at St Bede's, Bradford, has proved increasingly hard to resist
"I'm delighted to be back in Calderdale", he said. "It is hard to explain but as the years went by I felt I had to come back and Hebden Bridge is a beautiful town."
Mr Rochford, who runs the pub with partner Sheila Stein, took over from Lesley Clarkson who retired after 14 years.
The full article contains 255 words and appears in Evening Courier newspaper.
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Last Updated:
23 July 2008 10:07 AM
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Source:
Evening Courier
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Location:
Halifax
