LAST orders were called today for the legendary owner of Britain’s best pub.

An ornate black horse drawn carriage took Ric Sainty, known to many as Old Ric, from his famous pub – The Old Spot in Dursley - to St James Church where hundreds of friends and family said goodbye to the larger than life landlord, who loved a pint of real ale.

Passers by stood with bowed heads as Dursley's favourite pub owner was taken slowly through the streets of the town in the glass carriage, earlier this afternoon.

His coffin bore a plaque with his favourite saying "More beer!" And the grand portrait of the white bearded pub owner stood in the church with a single candle in front of it.

"Ric was a man with an incredible amount of friends, too many to count and all of us will miss him tremendously," said friend of Ric’s for 40 years, Nigel Cant.

See the Gazette tomorrow (Thursday, July 31) for the full story.