Neil Morrissey steps away from village pub after 10 years as boozer at risk of being closed
Actor Neil Morrissey is leaving The Plume of Feathers pub in Staffordshire after a decade at its helm.
The Men Behaving Badly star, 61, has run the popular venue in Barlaston, near Stoke-on-Trent, alongside business partners Richard Slingsby and John Sykes.
His company, MSW Pub Company, has decided not to renew their lease with Punch Pubs & Co.
The departure marks the end of a significant chapter for the pub, which has been under Morrissey’s management since 2015.
MSW Pub Company is now actively seeking a freehold property instead of continuing as lease operators.
The change would give Morrissey and his partners greater control as pub landlords rather than tenants.
Punch Pubs has begun searching for new operators to take over the Station Road site.
There are concerns about the pub’s future, as it faces potential closure if a new landlord cannot be secured.
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The company hopes the venue will continue its success under new management.
A representative for the MSW Group expressed gratitude to Punch for their support, stating: “Neil Morrissey and the directors would like to thank Punch for their support over the past decade and offer their best wishes to the management and staff at the Plume of Feathers for continued success in the future.”
Punch Pubs CEO Andy Spencer responded warmly: “We would like to thank Neil, Richard, and John for their hard work and dedication over the past 10 years in making the Plume of Feathers an exceptional pub business.”
He added: “Their passion and commitment have been instrumental in its success, and we wish them all the very best in their new venture.”
Morrissey’s journey to fame began far from the entertainment world, with a challenging upbringing in the care system of Stoke-on-Trent.
In 1974, he moved into the Penkhull Children’s Home, discovering his passion for acting at Thistley Hough High School.
His friend Mark Langston’s family fostered him until he turned 18, allowing him to pursue acting.
Morrissey secured an unconditional place at Guildhall School of Music and Drama before rising to fame in the mid-1980s as Rocky in ITV’s Boon.
He later became a household name as Tony in Men Behaving Badly.
Beyond his television career, Morrissey has maintained strong connections to Staffordshire, with The Plume of Feathers representing a significant investment in his local community.
The pub remains open for now as Punch Pubs continues its search for new operators.
Spencer emphasised that their “priority remains ensuring that the Plume of Feathers continues to thrive at the heart of the community for many years to come.”
Meanwhile, Morrissey and his business partners are looking ahead to their next venture with ambitions of greater autonomy in the pub industry.