The Red Lion Pub in Upper Basildon

JEFFREY KERR CRONYN

He wanted to live like a Zen monk. He wanted his life like water that flow freely and found the way around when it hit any obstacles. Life was a stream.

To all friends of Jeff

It took him a year to recover from his cancer.
He started to work at the pub again. He started to read again. He started to listen to the music he loved.
He booked to go to Nice on the 10th January. Our monthly city break.
He booked to see Carmen at Royal Albert Hall.
But bacteria killed him.
It killed him so quick that he had never have a chance to say anything and had never woken up.
It took six days to take him away.

He started this pub, The Red Lion, in 1999.
Prior to that he had been unemployed for 2 years.
He was a scholar with two degrees and one MA.
He somehow put himself into the pub so much.
He loved it. He loved people. He loved the village.
He made this place his own home where he always wanted to come back to.
Jeff and I lived in London, Toronto, Kyoto and Tokyo when we were together for 32 years.
But this was his home surrounded by his friends.

He very much lived that way.

He arranged with my grandfather that he would be buried in our family temple with our ancestors.
My father carried out Jeff’s wish in his will when he died.
I will join him there later.

I will take him back to Japan in the spring when snow melts away.
His heart will always be here.

I would like to say thank you for all his friends who cried for him.
I would also like to thank all his friends who have given me deep sympathy.



Machiko Suzuki

I am leaving The Red Lion

Jeff and I did everything together.
We studied at the same desk that we made.
We read the same books.
We saw movies, plays and concerts together.
We travelled together.
But not The Red Lion.

I see Jeff sitting at Table 2 drinking his morning coffer, I see him walking in the garden, talking to regulars behind the bar. I still see him everywhere in the pub.
It has been very painful for me to be here, so I am leaving.
Tim Butler will take the Red Lion over.

I would like to thank every staff who has been supporting me since Jeff died in running this pub.
I would like specially to thank Steve Bracklik who took over everyday book keeping, putting all invoices and receipts in the system and keeping up p& l every month.
However, sadly he has left the pub for his new future. I wish all the best for him.
My special admiration and appreciation will go to Anne O’Loughlin, my financial adviser and a good friend, who came in and worked free and looked after all cash flows, banking, VAT, tax and year end accounts etc over 6 months.
Without their help, I would have had to close the pub in January.

I would like thank all friends of this pub who enabled us to keep it open.
I also wish you all not to drink and smoke too much but eat a lot of good food at the Red Lion.
Finally I would like to add that Chloe, my dog, will very much miss her 5 o’clock treats from Ivor and Sunday roast from uncle Timmie.

Good bye

Mako Suzuki

The Red Lion