Tributes paid to former landlord
Eric and Hillary Widdop
SELBY district is this week mourning the death of a well known face in the local pub trade.
Eric Widdop sadly passed away, aged 73, in Filey on Saturday.
He spent many years behind the bar of pubs across the region - including being the former landlord of the George Hotel, Selby; The Cross Keys Inn at Hillam; and the former proprieter of The Owl Hotel in Hambleton.
Originally from Castleford, Mr Widdop first moved to the town, aged 35, from the Imperial Hotel in Filey, along with his wife Hilary.
He was a former professional rugby league player, playing for Castleford and then later Halifax and Keighley.
His son-in-law, Philip Lowrey, this week paid this tribute to Eric: “All I can say is that he was fantastic to me and treated me as though I was his son.
“We will all miss him and I am sure that many people from around Selby will have fond memories of him, especially from his time at the George which was ‘the Pub’ in Selby at the time.”
Selby Times content editor Chris Page said: “Eric will be remembered as a great character from a great family.
“He made Selby’s The George Hotel, Hillam’s The Cross Keys Inn and Hambleton’s The Owl Hotel the ‘inn’ places to be.
“The original host with the most, his hospitality and bonhomie remain fondly recalled and much missed by a generation of pub-goers.”
Eric leaves behind wife Hilary, daughter and son-in-law Dawn and Philip, and grandchildren David, Adam and Roisin.
His funeral will take place at 11am on Tuesday, January 29, at the East Riding Crematorium, Octon Road, Thwing, and then afterwards at Filey Golf Club.
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Weather for Goole
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 11 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
