Well known former landlady celebrates landmark birthday

Former Burnley licensee Dora Pilling celebrates her 90th birthday surrounded by her family.

A former customer at the pub she used to run, the Barracks Tavern in Burnley’s Padiham Road, sent greetings from her home in Canada where she moved several years ago.

It was one of the highlights of the day for Dora who enjoyed a party at the Palazzo restaurant in Burnley with her four children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Dora ran the Barracks Tavern from 1969 to 1975, a year before it closed and around four years before it was demolished to make way for the M65.

It was one of several pubs along the area known as the Golden Mile and Dora was behind the bar with her husband John. The couple were married for 64 years until his death last year.

Dora’s daughter, Susan Ryder, said: “My mum enjoyed running the pub, it was a popular place with a lot of regulars in its day.”

Dora now lives in Padiham with her constant companion, her Bichon Frise Zack.