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Picture source: Darkstar

The Loaves & Fishes was situated on Fen Lane. This pub is now in residential use.

I worked there 1981 till 1985. Behind the bar when Alan Jennison was the manager. The courtyard had a beautiful willow tree in the middle. There were doves in a special dovecote and an outside bar with wooden benches all around the edge. It would get absolutely packed in summer heaving with Grockles (holiday makers). Lots of people stayed on boats on the river. There were flats for holiday makers to stay in attached to the pub. Owned and run separately by Hoseasons. A very busy place in its heyday. Lovely food from the kitchen their Quiche and salad was fab’. ‘Homemade soup ‘ came from a big tin marked Knorr stood on the shelf think it was powdered- still tasted lovely though. A whole gang of young people would meet up especially on Mondays Disco nights. Then older people on Thursday Jazz night when the Sole Bay Jazz Band would belt out their finest renditions. I remember Slug White, Alan Paul, Noel Fulcher, Peter Josling. Mike Sutton, Martin Gruchie, Liz Jurd, Cheryl Manthorpe, Bob Money John Seppings. Behind the bar Ken, Yvonne aka Binns, me Jean Brooks, Bob Back Terri Lamkin, It was owned by John Houghton a builder from Essex as l recall. Such a shame it’s all shut up now.

Jean Samuels (April 2019)

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Name	Dates	Comments
Pete Brown	c1980	Worked there part-time. I remember Ken the bar manager, Jumper John, a little young lad we called the Commis Chef but I think he was a KP. Decent Abbott Ale sometimes, a DJ on one night a week. Wonder if Alan ever did get his Range Rover working....?
Carole King	1978/1979	Worked there part time in the kitchen and waitress in the upstairs restaurant. Had a marvellous time and laughs with Ken and Jumper Jon. I remember one lunchtime when a group of yahoo henry's came in and order a pint of larger with a 'dash' of lime!! It was a bit highfaluting. I will never forget the nights out after work on Jumper Jon's bike. How we ever got home some nights I will never know!! I wonder if he still has that jumper lol
Arthur Paine	c1973	I moved from london to Suffolk around 1972. I lived in blyburgate in a bed and breakfast and worked for fibrenyle by the station. I got a flat above skipping in beccles and my local was the loaves and fishes.. I used the loaves and fishes until around 1979 when I moved back to Essex.