Oldest pub regular celebrates his century with 10,000th round

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Norman Rushworth celebrates his milestone with a pint in the Golden Cross in Shrewsbury with landlord Gareth Reece

The 100 year old has been drinking at Shrewsbury’s Golden Cross for more than 80 years.

And the great-grandfather puts the secret of long life down to a good pint of beer.

Mr Rushworth has been drinking at the pub since the 1930s – and still visits the pub twice a week to enjoy a pint of his beloved Shropshire Gold.

Improved

When he started drinking, a pint of beer would set Norman back 5d.

But despite a rise in prices, the RAF veteran said the historic pub had ‘improved immensely’ over the years. Gareth Reece, landlord of the Golden Cross, said Mr Rushworth had become a part of the 700-year-old venue’s heritage.

“He comes for a coffee on Friday and on Saturday he has a beer.

“It is his secret to a long life – good beer, dancing and women.

“Not many pubs have got customers who have been regulars since before the war.

“Norman is part of the make-up of the place.”

Mr Rushworth, who celebrated his 100th birthday this month, was born and bred in Shrewsbury and used to work as a dental technician at a practice in Belmont – a stone’s throw away from his favourite watering hole.

He said: “We use to come in at lunchtimes and at weekends. We couldn’t afford to come in every day. Four of us would come in, we used to sing songs and play games.”

Mr Reece said Mr Rushworth had become a familiar face during his 10-year tenure as landlord. He said: “He is such a regular, he sits there and his little crew of mates come and see him.

Remarkable

“All his old apprentices at the dental practice come and see him. He is always cheerful and he is remarkable really.

“He makes his own way here every week on his own. A pint of Shropshire Gold is his favourite tipple.”

Mr Rushworth was born in 1913 in Crewe Street and has spent his entire life in Shrewsbury – apart from his service with the RAF. He served in Europe soon after D-Day where he drove an ambulance converted into a dental laboratory.

A talented tenor singer, he became known as ‘Senor Norman’ to the local businessmen he met in Belgium and entertained many with his songs.

On leave from the RAF he married his first wife Elsie and after demobilisation they moved to Lime Street in Longden Coleham.

They had one son, John, who now lives in France.

Elsie died young but many years later he met his second wife Dorothy.

They married when he was 80 but she too died shortly after.

A very good dancer, until recently Norman went on frequent trips to the ballroom capital Blackpool.

He now lives in Harlescott and his secret to a long life – ‘a pint of beer of course’, he said.