Tributes to landlord who was heart and soul of pub

Hundreds of people have paid tribute to a landlord who was known as the "heart and soul" of his pub.

Lawrence Dixon, 68, who ran the Champion of the Thames in Cambridge for 25 years, died on 2 April after he was diagnosed with stomach cancer.

Amber Wenman, his friend of about 26 years, said: "We all knew individually what he meant to us and everyone else, but the things that have been written and said have put it into perspective of how much of a wonderful person he was, and it is a massive loss."

His daughter, Beth Dixon, said a half marathon had been planned to raise money for charity, with people also preparing to run in his memory.

Beth said she had received lots of messages after her father's death.

"It has been really nice connecting with people that I haven't spoken to in a really long time and people who I have never met before and hearing all of these different things about my dad," she said.

She said her father wanted the pub to feel like a community, adding: "It was just a fun place to be and that is what he wanted and that was his ethos.

"I was incredibly lucky to have a man like him to be my father."

Niamh Sweeney, 52, said she first met Lawrence in September 2007 after moving into a property opposite the pub.

"You would walk in on your own and you'd come out part of a community, and Lawrence would introduce you to someone," Sweeney said.

"It was a real testament to him, you were greeted immediately.

"People in Cambridgeshire who have been here will know it is a village pub in a city."

Jenni Skinner, 47, was first introduced to Lawrence as a punter about 18 years ago, and even worked a few shifts at the pub.

She described him as a best friend and father figure, adding: "What he did for my career was insane, he gave me the confidence as I had been suffering with crippling anxiety, and he suggested to me to grab a shift.

"That is how I learned to be who I am and where I take pride in my management style now."

Skinner is the African specialist and library manager of the African Studies Library at the University of Cambridge.

A fundraiser was set up to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support, with efforts reaching about £11,000.

Beth had planned to take part in the Cambridge Half Marathon in March but did not participate as she was caring for Lawrence.

She had organised her own half marathon with her father and had planned to lap the pub three times so he could see how she was getting on.

He died before the event, with Beth opening the invitation for people to join on Sunday, starting and finishing on Midsummer Common.

"The outpouring of grief was massive but has shown what a beautiful community he created and hopefully we can carry on celebrating and keeping together," Skinner added.

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