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More on KentOnline
Nurses pulled out all of the stops to grant a Deal landlord’s dying wish - to marry his partner of 30 years.
Staff at the QEQM Hospital in Margate arranged white linen decorations, flowers and music to enable Brian Leach to marry Sandra Crossland on Friday, June 7.
The ceremony was held in a private room in the presence of three family members and a host of nurses, doctors and consultants.
Mr Leach had been diagnosed with acute leukaemia the day before the wedding and died the day after at his home in Cambridge Road, aged 74.
The couple had met in the Admiral Keppel pub in 1989 and took over the running of it shortly after.
Mrs Leach said: “He had two wishes. To get married and to come home. He did them both.
"He was just loved by everybody. A gentle-man who always gave good advice. The type of man you could always go to.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without him.”
Mr Leach was born in Mexborough in South Yorkshire but moved to Deal with his parents and sisters.
He was working as miner at Betteshanger Colliery when he met Mrs Leach, a barmaid at the Admiral Keppel pub, in 1989.
When the pits closed the same year, they took over the running of the pub for eight years until they were able to buy the Granville Arms pub in 1997.
Their loyal customers including the darts, pool and football teams followed the pair to the new establishment where they enjoyed years of fun.
Celebrations included weddings and Halloween parties with the couple also opening the doors on Christmas Day evening, when Mr Leach would always put on a quiz.
They closed the pub in March 2011 and made the most of retirement together enjoying holidays abroad.
Mrs Leach said: “He was a wonderful landlord, an absolute treasure.
“He would say that we had the best years in the pub. People always felt at home in our pub.”
Mr Leach also leaves a daughter, Nicola, and several grandchildren.
