Christmas Day will be the last day behind the pumps for one of the commercial gay scenes most popular licensees, Alex Matthews and his partner, Richard Dene-Morel.
Alex and Richard took over the A Bar on Brighton seafront in January 2012 and between them have made it a popular meeting place for a more mature crowd.
The couple have been together for 13 years; Alex worked previously at Revenge, Legends and the Amsterdam while Richard worked at Kruze and the White Horse before taking charge of the kitchen when they returned to run the A Bar. In 2013 Richard won the Golden Handbag for Favourite Sunday lunch at the annual awards ceremony at the Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel.
Together they managed their own pub The Bib and Tucker on Elm Grove before returning to the gay village in 2012 to run the prime site seafront bar.
Alex chaired the Gay Business Forum, The Village Pub Watch, sat on the Council’s Licensing Strategy Group as well as being on the committee of the Brighton & Hove LGBT Community Safety Forum.
Paul Kemp, Director of Pride said: “Alex is one of the good guys and was very helpful in assisting Pride make the Village Street Party safer over the last two years.”
You will have a chance to wish Alex and Richard all the best for the future at the farewell party they are holding on Christmas Eve, December 24 at the A-Bar starting from 7pm.
James Ledward, added: “Alex has been more than just a licensee, he understands the responsibilities that go with earning your living from this community. He worked very hard over the last few years to encourage LGBT bars and clubs to work together, a thankless, but nevertheless very important task and spent hours of his time, voluntarily supporting the police and council on the Licensing Strategy Group to benefit all the other gay bars and clubs in the village. He was also a great supporter of the important work of the LGBT Community Safety Forum. I wish him and Richard all the very best for the future.”
Alex will continue to keep working at the venue until January 6 to effect a satisfactory handover.
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