I’m the UK’s oldest pub cleaner - great-gran, 85, has never taken a day off sick

I’m the UK’s oldest pub cleaner - great-gran, 85, has never taken a day off sickEXCLUSIVE: The widow doesn't want to put away her duster, mop and bucket just yet. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments By Chris Riches 09:00, Sat, Jun 6, 2026 Nora Jones, 85, (centre) at The Waggon & Horses pub (Image: Joseph Holt Brewery)Great-gran Nora Jones has one thing on her (mop and) bucket list - she still doesn't want to quit her 45-year job as Britain's most dedicated pub cleaner. Widow Nora, 85, believes she's the UK's oldest pub cleaner and has certainly put the hours in, having never called in sick in over four decades at the Waggon & Horses in Gorton, Manchester. window.scriptsToLoad.push({url:'https://live.primis.tech/live/liveView.php?s=118222&vp_content=plembed3a6btjknzwqh&cbuster=%%CACHEBUSTER%%&playerApiId=v118222',triggeredBy:'tcfLoaded',delay:1500,containerId:'ovp-primis',title:"Primis player",beforeLoad:()=>{window.top.addEventListener('primisPlayerInit',e=>{try{if(e.detail&&e.detail.playerApiId==="v118222"){if(window.document.getElementsByClassName('jwplayer')[0]){e.detail.float('disable')}}}catch(e){}})},}) Manchester-based Joseph Holt own 127 pubs across the North-West of England and Nora is the brewery's longest-serving employee. The company, founded 177 years ago, has been in the same family for six generations. And the Waggon & Horses has not just been her employer, it's played a key part in Nora's family life as she celebrated both her engagement and wedding to her late husband, Ernest, with parties there. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Get the day's biggest headlines in UK and World news and more Subscribe Invalid emailWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Rea...