A KILWINNING pub owner is selling up after 30 years behind the bar.

Alan Bury is retiring from pulling pints in The Alton Inn, after more than three decades.

The much-loved 74-year-old landlord had previously thought about calling last orders in August last year, but, despite false reports, the family-run pub has never actually been on the market.

Alan and his family decided to delay selling up so they could enjoy one last Christmas in the pub.

Daughter Allison Fullerton told the Times: “We had thought about selling up last year and we had posted on our Facebook page that we were thinking about it and all of a sudden people were calling up thinking we were closing down and had stopped serving food. It was crazy and none of it was true. We hadn’t put the pub up for sale at all. We had simply been thinking about it.

“But now the time has finally come for us as a family to step down. My dad is going in for an operation and will need to rest up afterwards so we feel that this is a natural time to call it a day.”

The Byers Road pub has been valued somewhere in the region of £200,000 and £250,000 and the family hopes whoever takes it on has as many happy years as they did.

Allison said: “We have had many happy memories in this pub. It means a lot to us so hope whoever gets it will love it as much as us.

“For anyone interested the pub was valued between £200,000 and £250,000. It is not a lease and you would own the building and the grounds. It’s a fabulous wee pub.”

Over the last three decades the Alton Inn has served up great pub grub to the people of Kilwinning and beyond and also played host to a number of live acts.