Community in shock at death of New Milton pub landlord (From Bournemouth Echo)

Community in shock at death of New Milton pub landlord

7:40am Monday 6th July 2009 in

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A COMMUNITY is in shock after a popular pub landlord died suddenly on Friday evening.

Thomas Miles, 48, was with business partner and good friend Jon Bell outside The Wheatsheaf in Christchurch Road, New Milton, when he collapsed. An ambulance was called but the crew was unable to save him.

Speaking to the Daily Echo at the pub yesterday, Jon said: “We were outside talking, walking back towards the pub and he suddenly collapsed.

“Everybody is devastated. There was no history of any illness or anything, he was very healthy.”

He said Tom’s wife Vikki and young children Robbie and Abbi were in shock.

Jon and Tom came to The Wheatsheaf in 2007 and developed it into the carvery style pub it is today.

Before that they developed property in Southampton and then took over the Rydal Arms in New Milton. Tom previously ran the Fox and Hounds in Lyndhurst with his wife.

The pair managed pubs in Sussex and London before that, after Tom switched from his career as a PC in the Metropolitan Police.

They moved to the New Forest from West Sussex in 1993 and during the family’s seven years there Tom was chairman of the Lyndhurst Chamber of Trade.

The family had recently moved into a house he had designed and redeveloped.

Jon said: “He was an amazing character. He was a wonderful dad. The family are devastated.”

The pub was closed on Saturday but reopened yesterday.

Jon added: “I’ve had messages from people that knew him years ago saying they’re shocked. He was a very outgoing type of person... he was just Tom.

“He has done a lot for the community over the years, being chairman of the chamber of trade. He was always willing to help people out and if you had a problem you could go and speak to him.”