A POPULAR pub once owned by Barnsley entertainer Charlie Williams will shut after one last party on New Years Eve.

The Welcome Inn will be demolished to make way for 11 terraces and one detached property on the site at Barber Street, Hoyland after planning permission was granted on December 3.

Landlady Jean Jones said she would be sad to leave the pub she ran with husband Jim for 22 years. She said: “It’s been tremendous here and we have had some fabulous times as a lot of people in the area will tell you.

“We have parties every weekend for all sorts from birthdays, engagements, weddings and funerals. You name it we had it.

“It was Charlie William's haunt and I remember the silver wallpaper and black flock on the walls.”

The couple took over the former working men’s club in 1985, shortly after it changed its name from Charlie’s.

But Jean, 70, has decided to give up the pub after Jim died of a long illness several weeks ago.

She said: “This year has not been a right good one so I thought I’d start the new year as I mean to go on.

“I know a lot of people are sad about it going but Jim and I planned to retire anyway. It’s unfortunate he died before we got to fulfil that dream.

“I will miss all of the regulars. We've had some right characters over the years.”

Ronald and Muriel Lister celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary at the pub in September and said it was a shame it was being knocked down.

Ronald, of Cherry Tree Street said it was an ideal place to celebrate big occasions.

He said: “We shall miss it. I remember it when it was built in 1975. There has been something on that corner for years with the British legion club and the working men’s club before it was the Welcome.”

Now Jean hopes the pub will go out with a bang when its final party is thrown on New Year’s Eve.

She will stay on the premises until the end of January when the pub and car park site will be knocked down to build eight three-bedroomed terraces, three two-bed terraces, one detached house and 12 parking spaces.