A WEYMOUTH nightspot has featured in a book of short stories about pubs - with the manager recalling the time a customer revealed he had lived in the building more than 70 years ago.

Keith Treggiden, manager of Rendezvous in St Thomas Street and the Royal Oak on the harbourside, was visited by a man called Don in 2010, where he revealed that he had lived in the Rendezvous building with his family before it was converted to a pub and bar. He was back visiting his childhood home 70 years later to celebrate his diamond wedding anniversary with his wife.

Keith invited the former tenant up to the flat upstairs to see how the building had changed while the pair swapped stories about how the area had developed.

Keith said: "I remember what a special experience it was to meet Don. He had so many stories to tell and it was so fascinating to hear about his life and his family.

"Pubs on the outside are bricks and mortar, but it is the people in them like Don that make them so full of life and history; that give them the heart that makes them so important to so many people, myself included."

Keith's story has been included in a new book, Short Stories from Down the Pub, which has been created by pub company Stonegate.

The book began as part of an initiative to boost morale during lockdown, with teams encouraged to share stories from the pub with their colleagues. The tales came flooding in and the book took six months to complete.

Colin Hawkins, operations director at Stonegate, said: "It has been a huge honour to relive all these incredible stories and collate them into something really special. We had so many great stories to choose from and Keith's story about Don is a fantastic example.

"I am so proud of the team at Stonegate for all their efforts towards the book and their unwavering positive attitude over the past year. It has been amazing to be able to give something back to the hospitality industry and all the people who make pubs the great places they are."

Profits from the book will be donated to the Licensed Trade Charity, an organisation providing help, support and advice for licensed drinks trade people.

For more information and to buy the book, visit www.amzn.to/2ZdM7Xo