The pub had a steady evening trade, but was very quiet most days. Some evenings there were more staff than customers. The busy trade from the long stretch of ugly and totally inappropriate office blocks in Cantelupe Road, had almost stopped. The rents were so high most local businesses relocated to nearby Crawley new town where you could get twice the space for half the cost. The old market was obliterated, rendering half the road a ghastly reminder of the 1980's lust for profit over people. It now sat empty and vandalised whilst the local bigwigs made plans to build another 4,000 houses on green belt land. The plans for the pub were approved and the idea was to recreate the atmosphere of an olde country pub. Orange was replaced with subtle greens, reds disposed of in place of warm browns and rough sawn timber was nailed half way up the walls. Light bulbs were switched to a lower wattage to soften the mood. As the work progressed, Steve spent a lot of time in the pub alone. It closed at 2.30 pm to reopen at 6.00 pm everyday, so most of the work was done at this time. But every time he was in the manager's flat at the top of the building that horrible smell would be in the air. next »