Lease for popular village pub The Five Horseshoes in Barholm near Stamford goes on the market for less than £100,000

The landlady of a popular village local has decided to call time after 25 years at the ‘unicorn of a pub’.

Emma Freeman joined Barholm pub The Five Horseshoes as manager before stepping up to run it with her partner 15 years ago, and then single-handedly in recent years.

But having built up a loyal clientele of locals, Emma believes it’s time to hand over the reins.

“I’ve been here for 25 years, so it's time for a change of scene really,” she said.

“It’s a very busy, unique little pub so it needs a lot more love and enthusiasm than I've got left.

“It’s 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days per year.

“You’ve got to love the people, you've got to love the work, you’ve got to love hospitality.”

The Five Horseshoes will continue to be owned by the Barholm Estate, but Emma has put the lease up for sale for offers of around £99,950.

It has a central entrance hall, with seating for about 10, and a main bar area, split into three rooms, together with a separate games room, a covered terrace and large lawned beer garden.

“It's a cracking little business and people are so supportive,” said Emma.

“People have come here from all over and have done for years, so it is lovely.

“There's been a core crew that I've known for 25 years - it's amazing.

“Everybody looks after each other - you have to make sure these places stay open.”

The 18th-century pub still retains much of its original character with feature fireplaces, flagstone floors and beams together with the ethos of a pub.

Many pubs have diversified and focussed on food to turn a profit as the pub trade struggles nationally.

There is an annual rent of £18,000, but the Barholm local turned around £100,000 in net profit in the last financial year, and Emma puts this success down to its continuity and lack of change.

“The owners literally live down the road and they just want it as it is, not to change, it's never going to be a food pub,” she explained.

“There is no kitchen. It’s an old school real ale house. That's it.”

Emma added: “It's almost like safe ground for people - they know what they're going to get when they come here.

“People come now and relax and just chill out. They leave the life stresses in the car and you can come in and just have whether it's 10 minutes or an hour or all day.

“It's just somewhere to come and be, and forget about the rest of them.”

Emma has yet to decide where her next step will take her when she finally pulls her last pint - whenever that is.

Perhaps another pub, perhaps something completely different, but leaving such a big part of her life will take some adjustment.

“It’s been my living breath for 15 years, so I’ll definitely miss the place,” said Emma.

“You can't not enjoy it because she's a unicorn of a pub which just keeps going.

“You see the generations. I’m serving the children of kids that were coming in from the start.

“It's lovely to see it through and be part and parcel of all that.”