Greene King toasts Sunderland publican milestone
Paul Greenwell has run Greene King’s The Willow Pond in Sunderland for 25 years.
The leased, tenanted and franchise division of Greene King is celebrating 25 years of partnership with long-serving operator Paul Greenwell, who runs The Willow Pond in Sunderland.
Greenwell first started working at The Willow Pond in 2000 as a general manager for Scottish & Newcastle Breweries. From there, following industry mergers, he took on the pub as a tenant in partnership with Greene King, supported by his wife Kirsty and his mother Libby, who manages the pub’s books.
Over the past 25 years, Greenwell has built The Willow Pond into a well-loved community local known for its friendly atmosphere and quality beer range.
To celebrate this milestone, he was presented with gifts recognising his long-standing partnership with Greene King and his commitment to the local community The Willow Pond serves.
"Reaching 25 years at The Willow Pond is a huge milestone for me and my family," says Greenwell. "The pub has been at the centre of our lives for so long, we’ve seen the industry evolve and the local area change, but the spirit of this pub and its place in the community has always stayed strong.
"Most of all, we’re grateful to our brilliant team, our loyal customers and everyone who helps make The Willow Pond what it is."
The history books
The pub itself is thought to date back to at least 1867. In 2024, Greenwell reaffirmed his commitment to The Willow Tree by extending his agreement with Greene King by five years, supported with further investment from Greene King Pub Partners in the pub.
A plaque is being made to be placed inside the pub to commemorate his 25 years at The Willow Pond.
"We are very honoured to recognise Paul’s incredible 25 years at The Willow Pond," says Dan Robinson, managing director of Greene King Pub Partners. "Paul’s story shows the real value of partnering with entrepreneurial publicans to run successful, sustainable pubs together that are rooted in their communities.
"We’re incredibly proud to work with operators like Paul. Their passion, commitment and local knowledge have made The Willow Pond a true community pub, and we look forward to supporting them for many more years to come."
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