Popular Aylesbury pub landlord hails community as he steps down after 12 years

The landlord of a popular Aylesbury pub has hailed the town’s local community as he announced his departure.

For 12 years Kelvin Wong has been the boss at the Watermead Inn on Monday (27 February) he confirmed his resignation.

Kelvin and his wife, Nikki, and daughters Miya and Jasie, are staying in Aylesbury, but focusing on other business ventures.

He also stated that the chaotic hours a landlord must keep and a desire to see more of his family and two daughters as a key reason for giving the pub up.

Kelvin also owns Japanese restaurant Miya and is hoping to open a Korean cuisine outlet in the same building in the coming weeks.

He also plans to franchise Miya and potentially open more restaurants across Buckinghamshire.

His Korean store will be named Jasie after his 10-year-old daughter.

"We’ve got to keep it in the family so no-one gets jealous,” Kelvin told The Bucks Herald.

Looking back on his time at the Watermead Inn Kelvin wanted to thank everyone in Aylesbury who had made feel so welcome over the years.

Read more: New Domino's opens in Aylesbury creating 25 jobs

He said: “The locals are great. I’d never lived in Aylesbury before, I’m from London.

"I was surprised at how welcoming Aylesbury and Watermead is. I’m Chinese. I’m not a typical British landlord. I can’t drink much, but the community of Watermead and Aylesbury have been very, very welcoming.

"I was surprised as someone coming in from the outside to take over a British pub, you wonder what people think, ‘does this guy know what he’s doing?’

"Everyone has been very supportive over the years.”

One of Kelvin’s proudest moments as a landlord was the pub’s efforts to repay the local community during the pandemic.

When people were ordered to stay at home to limit the spread of the coronavirus Kelvin and his team didn’t want to let their remaining barrels of beer go to waste. So they delivered beers to the houses of residents in Aylesbury free of charge.

As well as paying his staff full wages throughout the national lockdowns the departing landlord also supplied meals to Aylesbury Foodbank, Kelvin says Watermead Inn helped feed 220 families in this time period.

Kelvin’s mission when taking over the pub was to create a more relaxed personalised atmosphere at the watering hole.

Having grown up in Holland he was used to venues with conventional landlords and landladies rather than more corporate chains run by managers, which he feels can lack a distinguishing identity.

His head chef, Adi and his wife Adriana, will become the new landlords next Wednesday (8 March).

This Saturday a leaving do will be held at The Watermead Inn from 6pm, live music, and a DJ have been organised.

Kelvin added: “I’ve been there for so long, it's been my living room for the past 12 years. My wife even longer, she’s been there 14 years. The kids are getting older as well. I don’t spend enough time with them, that was the biggest problem. It’s not a nine-five job.

"The kids need more attention than my regulars.”

More details of the party can be found on the pub’s Facebook page.