A popular former pub landlord and 'loving family' man has died after a battle with cancer.

Great-grandfather John Judd was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in January 2020 and passed away peacefully at his home in Deal on April 12 aged 79.

He is known for running ex-pub The Magnet, in London Road, Deal, for a decade from 2003.

He leaves behind daughter Wendy Hasemore, stepson Matthew Lawrence, grandchildren Tony, Bradley, Alfie, Sydney and Holly, and great-grandchildren Reggie, Percy, Luca, Sofia and Annalise.

Daughter Wendy, 54, said: "Dad was a loving, caring family man.

"He was so well liked by so many people. He never had a cross word with anyone.

"All his life, but maybe especially because of the pub, I can never remember us going anywhere without bumping into someone dad knew.

"He was like a friend rather than a father. I never had to worry about asking him anything or telling him anything.

"I would speak to him everyday by phone or text.

"He loved spending time with the family, as much as he could. He always wanted to know what was going on."

Mr Judd, who was born in Sittingbourne but also spent time living in Gillingham, started his career working as a butcher, initially while still at school.

He eventually opened his own butcher shop in Ramsgate, called J&M Judd, in the late 1970s.

'He loved spending time with the family, as much as he could. He always wanted to know what was going on...'

He also was manager of a snooker club in Margate and worked at a food factory.

It was in 2003 that he took over The Magnet.

Wendy, from Gillingham, added: "Because he worked in the snooker hall, he had experience running a bar. Someone approached him for holiday cover at The Magnet for a couple of weeks.

"After that he took over running it.

"He was a marvellous host. He just absolutely loved it. He would put on spreads for weddings and birthdays and funerals, and hosted pool teams and dart teams and a biker's club.

"He retired twice from pubs in fact!"

After retiring from The Magnet in 2013, Mr Judd then returned to work, taking on The Dragoon in Maidstone for a couple of years.

He left here in 2015 and retired in Deal.

Geoff Potter, 74, from Deal, first met Mr Judd when he took over The Magnet.

Paying tribute, he said: "He was a gentle giant.

"He would go out of his way to help people. If someone had a broken window he would go around and fix it, or if couldn't, he would arrange for someone else to help. That is the sort of person he was.

"We became good friends when he started at The Magnet from day one. I always said I was the first friend he made when he came here. He was very popular.

"The funeral is expected to be a very big affair."

Mr Judd's funeral will be held at Barham Crematorium on May 11, at noon.

Everyone is welcome.