On Sunday 4th August 2002 Terry and Doreen Bell finally called 'Time' in The Dun Cow, their home for nineteen eventful years. Two hundred and fifty friends and regulars were invited to the pub for a Bar B Que lunch to mark the end of an era. A packed garden echoed with cries of "Hear Hear" as Ian Harris spoke on everyone's behalf, praising Doreen's 'home cooking' and Terry's 'astonishing' prices - both of which are probably gone for ever!

Doreen and Terry had always dreamed of running their own business, and when Terry was faced with redundancy in 1982 it gave them the push they needed to make their fantasy real. One autumn afternoon Terry returned to their home in Harbury and told Doreen that he had visited a Pub in a pretty village. "I want that Pub," he told Doreen. Two weeks later a friend mentioned that the Dun Cow was up for sale, and the die was cast. The Bell family, Terry, Doreen, Steve, Paul and Jo finally moved in on 14 March 1983.

"When we started we had to work hard to make it pay," said Doreen. "We were taking a big risk - we had staked everything on it. We knew we'd stand or fail by our own hard work." They had never run a Pub before and Doreen had never cooked for anyone other than the family, and overnight she found herself preparing meals for forty people. Hornton quickly took Terry and Doreen to their hearts, and the Pub soon became the focus of many happy evenings. "It's difficult to recall particular special moments - there have been so many happy times," says Doreen, "but I do remember the New Year's Eve Candlelit Supper that we did. I insisted that everyone wore evening dress." "So do I," recalls Terry."I said she was being daft - no-one will want to dress up like that. But she was right - everyone turned out in full regalia!" "The men looked wonderful," laughed Doreen, "and it was fantastic to see all these people who we were used to seeing in work clothes suddenly looking marvellous. They all looked so handsome!"

"One thing I must say, we couldn't have done it over the years without our Paul, Roger Turner and Pauline Hart. Pauline's worked here for sixteen years and we've become close friends and had a good working team. Terry and I are both very grateful to them, they have been invaluable."

The Bell's will now take some time to rest and re-charge their batteries. Moving house is always a stressful business, but when that involves changing your life so completely it becomes even more significant. They are moving to Kineton for the time being, but plan eventually to keep a manageable base hereabouts and travel for some of the year. The family are now scattered - Jo is in Chile, Steven and his family in Australia and Paul will soon be married to his lovely French lady and living in Brittany. "There are lots of things we've always wanted to do, and now we have the freedom to stretch our wings," says Terry. "There have been times over the years when you wonder whether people appreciate your hard work, but Sunday showed us just how much everyone cared." Doreen adds "It was incredible. The response was just overwhelming and made it all worthwhile, every last moment. I've never seen so many people crying, even the men! I shall never forget it, never. The day we left there were even some of the children who normally come to the door to buy sweets coming to say goodbye - and that set me off crying again!"

Terry says that they will be coming back to visit Hornton and the Dun Cow, although it will feel very odd to be on the other side of the Bar. Terry's final words as they set off to their new home were "We wish Martin and Gwyneth every success, and we're sure that Hornton will welcome and support them. I'm sure they'll find it hard work, but hopefully it will pay off for them in many different ways, like it has for us."

It's the end of an era in Hornton. An era that's seen the Firebirds change from hard-drinking teenage rockers into hard-drinking middle aged rockers; junior footballers turn into football coaches; under-age drinkers into successful big spenders and youngish parents into grandparents! Some things will no doubt stay the same - Eli by the fireplace and the crib and domino teams taking on all comers. So let's raise a glass to Terry and Doreen and say thank you both for everything, and wish them a long, healthy and happy retirement.