LICENSEE Les Harrison and his wife Brenda called "last orders" for the final time after 11 years at the Coal Clough pub, Burnley.

They left the trade on a high note with a music weekend, including a concert by one of their favourite bands, Acoustic Ceilidh, of Nelson.

The couple have won a number of awards for their beers over the years winning trips of a lifetime to Rio de Janeiro in 1996 for serving the best pint of bass in Britain following it up the following year with a holiday to Zimbabwe and the Victoria Falls.

Mr Harrison banned bland beers from his pub in 1998 when he also introduced live folk music.

He has been an officer and spokesman for the Burnley Licensed Victuallers Association for many years.

He was at the Free Gardeners in Padiham before taking the Coal Clough.

He said: "The weekend has been absolutely brilliant we have been packed to the door."

Les said: "We have had a good run and now we have reached the age of sixty we thought it is now time to retire. But it has been brilliant."

Taking over the popular pub are Bob and Pat Duckworth. Les added: "Bob has been my right hand man for years and played a big part in helping me win those awards. He tells me he is not going to change anything."