18/09/2026
People of Wicken, new and old…
One thing I’ve learnt since taking over the pub is that Wicken is full of characters. Proper characters.
As a landlord, you quickly fall into the trap of thinking everyone knows everyone. They don’t — but give it five minutes in the pub and they soon will!
We’ve got Slick, casually appearing in the afternoons, while his Skyline takes up enough room to cover half the potholes in the car park.
Darren and Sara, permanently smiling.
Sweeney, who has enough tattoos to look like he should be collecting protection money, but is actually one of the nicest blokes you’ll meet.
Then there’s Pesto and the crew… who probably need their own chapter!
And then there’s Liz and Nigel.
Always there. Always willing to muck in. And tonight was a perfect example.
The place was absolutely rammed, every seat taken, and Jamie found himself back in the kitchen helping Graeme and Josh keep the wheels turning.
But while the kitchen was going full pelt, Open the Box was going off out front — and Jamie’s favourite part was standing at the pass, looking out and seeing everyone enjoying themselves.
That’s what makes all the hard work worthwhile.
And having Liz there to actually open the box tonight felt like another little step towards what we want this pub to be.
Community people, in their community pub.
That’s the whole point.
It’s not just about food, drinks or Open the Box. It’s about creating somewhere where people come together, old faces meet new ones, and everyone has a part to play.
And that’s the beauty of Wicken.
Different ages, different personalities, old faces, new faces — but somehow, everyone brings something to the pub.
And tonight, Wicken did exactly what Wicken does best.
