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Bob Newton: Kirriemuir hotelier who supported community events dies

Bob also organised Christmas lunches for senior citizens and coordinated day trips to Braemar, Perthshire and Fife.

Bob Newton
Bob Newton, a hotelier in Kirrriemuir for more than 50 years, has died.

Robert (Bob) Newton, proprietor of Newton Hotel, Kirriemuir, for more than half a century, has died.

He was believed to be the longest continuous licensee in Tayside, served as president of Forfar and Kirriemuir Licensed Trade Association and was an active member of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association.

Bob, who was born in Liverpool in 1936, also made a huge impact in his adopted home town of Kirriemuir.

Community support

During his years at Newton Hotel he consistently supported local community events and charities, organising quiz nights and donating the entry fees and raffle proceeds to charities.

He raised funds for a bench commemorating the Battle of the Somme for Kirriemuir war memorial and worked hard to organise Christmas parties and summer trips for children in collaboration with local bus companies.

Bob also organised Christmas lunches for senior citizens and coordinated day trips to Braemar, Perthshire and Fife.

Half a century

In November 2022, he celebrated a remarkable 50 years behind the bar of the Newton Hotel.

His earliest years were spent in his native Liverpool but the war years, along with with his mother and sister, were spent in Newport in Wales to escape the worst of the bombing.

The family later settled in Runcorn and Bob was educated at Helsby Grammar School, where he excelled academically, before pursuing a history degree at the University of London.

He then had a spell serving in the army in Paris, worked at the BBC and Olivetti in London and served as a trainer at Hazlemere International College.

After a couple of years in Aberdeen, he entered the licensed trade in Kirriemuir.

Leisure interests

Beyond the realm of the pub, Bob had a deep passion for steam railways, British and wartime history, international geography, and had an unwavering support for Liverpool Football Club.

He was said to possess an encyclopaedic knowledge of music from the 1930s to the 2000s, astonishing others with his ability to recall even the most obscure records.

In the early 1960s in London he had mingled with emerging artists including Charlie Watts, who he playfully claimed still owed him a pint from his time as a struggling drummer in a jazz band.

Respectful

His wife, Joyce, said: “Bob firmly believed in treating everyone in the pub with respect and courtesy, ensuring they had a fantastic time.

“For many years Bob proudly boasted the most up-to-date jukebox in the area and advocated for all licensed premises to share information and support each other. He was disheartened by the increasing number of pubs and hotels closing their doors each day.

“Humour was an integral part of Bob’s character. He delighted in telling jokes and cherished legends such as Laurel and Hardy, Morecambe and Wise, Father Ted, Dad’s Army, and, of course, Still Game.”

He leaves behind his beloved wife, Joyce, and children Eliza, Rob, Geoff, Lucy, Vicky, Rick, Dave, and Debs. Additionally, he is survived by 11 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and a multitude of relatives and friends spanning Britain and the world.

You can read the family’s announcement here.

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