Meet The Publican - The Bull's Head, Markfield

Meet The Publican this issue visits Markfield, where in The Bulls Head, you will find Mick Collier. Mick was born in The Cottage Hospital, Ashby De La Zouch in November 1946, to parents Lizzie and Joe Collier. Mick lived next door to the lady that he would eventually marry. Liz Harker was 4 and Mick was 9 years old.

Mick attended Ashby Infants school, moving to the junior school and then Ivanhoe High School. During his time here, he worked helping out on Ashby Market selling fruit and vegetables.

In 1961, he left school to start his first job as an apprentice electrician at H&A Orton of Ashby. 2 years later he moved to Clutsom & Kemp in Coalville as a maintenance electrician where he worked for 8 years, followed by 12 months at The Midland Brick Company.

Mick took on his first Public House, The Black Horse in Alford Lincolnshire, in 1972. This former Holes pub belonged to Courage. He stayed there for 4 years until moving to The Star & Garter at Burton Upon Trent in 1976, having transferred to Marston Thompson & Evershed. In 1983, he moved in to Leicester CAMRA Branch area by taking The White Horse at Desford. He stayed there until 1991, when he moved to The New Greyhound in Billesdon. While here, he gained a regular place in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide and was awarded “Pub Of The Month” in 2000.

Up to this point, Mick had been a tenant in all of his pubs. As Marstons began to convert tenancies into leases, he moved to The Bulls Head, Markfield in 2002, where he remains today. He runs the pub with his wife, whom he married in 1970 at The Trinity Church, Ashby De La Zouch. Mick’s interests are shooting and films, but claims not to get to the cinema as often as he would like. Liz enjoys theatre and decorating when the pub allows the time.

Mick is a typical landlord and runs a welcoming pub. The Bulls Head is well worth a visit so why not drop in soon.

Keith Williams.

This page last updated: May 28, 2008

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