A POPULAR club manager who has pulled more than two million pints during his time behind the bar is preparing for retirement.But Alan Ramsey, 64, will still help occasionally at the Royal British Legion Club, Thoroughfare, Woodbridge.

A POPULAR club manager who has pulled more than two million pints during his time behind the bar is preparing for retirement.

But Alan Ramsey, 64, will still help occasionally at the Royal British Legion Club, Thoroughfare, Woodbridge.

Mr Ramsey, of Mill Lane, Woodbridge, has never had a day off sick during his 34 years in charge of the bar and for 32 years his wife, Jean, was the club cleaner.

Mary Larter, the club's first female chairman and a member for 40 years, said: ''He started here in 1973 with no knowledge and since then he has always put the club first and whatever he has done he has had the club at heart.

''Alan has done a wonderful job at the legion, he has always supported us whenever we have needed help, and he will be sorely missed.''

Mr Ramsey was a lorry driver with British Rail when he had a brain haemorrhage, aged 23. He had to give up his lorry licence and he worked at a Woodbridge bakery before becoming employed at the RBL Club.

Mr Ramsey said: ''I have made a lot of friends working here and I just love the environment at the club. I have got to know families and watched as members' children have grown up to become members.''

A pint of mild was 11p, bitter 12p and a dram of whisky 15p when Mr Ramsey started and, although the prices have risen considerably, it is still cheaper to drink in the club than in a pub.

The new manager will be David Larter, who has worked at the Cake Shop, Woodbridge, for 27 years and Mr Larter said: ''I have been working with Alan for eight weeks to learn the ropes and he has been a good teacher.''