Bear Cross Couple Call Time After 40 Years Behind the Bar

After more than four decades in the licensed trade, a well-known Dorset pub couple have officially called time on an incredible career behind the bar.

Lisa and Adam Walkey, who spent the last 17 years running the Bear Cross pub and restaurant in Bournemouth, have now retired after serving communities across Dorset for over 40 years.

Over the years, the couple became familiar faces in several well-known pubs across the county, including The Derby’s Corner, The World’s End, The White Hart at Bishops Caundle, and most recently, The Bear Cross.

For many local customers, Lisa and Adam were far more than landlords. They became part of the social fabric of the pubs they ran, building loyal followings and helping create the kind of welcoming atmosphere that keeps regulars coming back year after year.

Their connection to the pub trade has also been deeply personal. The couple even held their wedding reception at The World’s End in Almer, and later this year they will celebrate 30 years of marriage.

Speaking about their long-standing relationship with Hall & Woodhouse, Lisa said they had remained loyal to the brewery because of its family-run values and the support they had received over the years.

To mark the end of their time at The Bear Cross, Lisa and Adam held a leaving party on Sunday 7 January, where family, friends and many long-standing regulars gathered to wish them well.

More than 200 people attended the event, including their daughter and two grandchildren, in what became a fitting send-off for a couple who have spent much of their lives serving others.

Reflecting on their time in the trade, Lisa thanked the many staff members who had worked alongside them over the years, praising their hard work and customer service as a major part of the success they had enjoyed across multiple venues.

She also paid tribute to the loyal customers who supported them throughout the years, saying it had been a pleasure to help people celebrate so many important moments in their lives.

Retirement, however, does not mean slowing down completely.

Lisa and Adam are now planning their next chapter, with Lisa set to continue making cakes and her well-known meringues — something many customers at The Bear Cross will already be familiar with.

The couple hope to build a local cake-making business and eventually trade at Wimborne Market, bringing their homemade sweet treats to the wider community.

With more free time finally ahead of them, Lisa said one of the things they are most looking forward to is spending more time together and with their family — including enjoying occasions they often had to miss while working in hospitality.

After 40 years of looking after everyone else, it now seems it is their turn to enjoy life on the other side of the bar.