Is Castle’s Nonagenarian Superfan Most Loyal Hotel Customer in Britain?

A Northumberland-based castle hotel is laying claim to having potentially the most loyal customer of any accommodation or business of its type, in the shape of a 92-year-old ‘superfan’.

The lady in question, a nonagenarian named Molly, has been visiting the glorious medieval castle since 1987, becoming one of the hotels’ first customers, following the castle’s transformation into a visitor accommodation by American owner, Dr Stuart Madnick.

Over the past ten years, her visits to Langley Castle have become a ritual.  Molly arrives for lunch, come rain or shine, every Thursday lunchtime.  She is dropped off by taxi at 12 noon and picked up again at 3pm, before her taxi driver tackles a school run.

The Alston resident originally visited with her husband and the pair would enjoy overnight stays.  Since her husband passed away, Molly has visited mainly on her own, for her Thursday treat.  However, when her family travel up from the south, she also heads to the castle for dinner, enjoyed in the candlelit 2AA Rosette, Josephine Restaurant.

Her Thursday lunch choice never changes.  She starts with the soup of the day, no matter what it may be, and then moves on to fish and chips.  These are enjoyed in the castle’s glorious Drawing Room, always in the same corner.

If the resident knights in shining armour are observant, they will note that Molly never has any tartare sauce or peas with her fish, just two mini pots of ketchup.  The Langley staff open the first for her, which she devours with her fishy feast, until it’s time for the second to come into play.  She then calls someone over, so they can open the second.

All is washed down with two glasses of champagne and she will always generously try to offer a glass to the staff, to try to encourage them to join her for a while.  When she leaves, she does so with a takeaway soup, which she then enjoys for her supper.

Whilst the food and drink is always a pleasurable experience for Molly, it is the joy she gets from talking to the Langley staff that inspires her weekly visit.  Some have worked at the castle throughout the past 10 years or longer and part-time receptionist, Elaine, even remembers the castle hotel’s opening, having been its very first employee in 1986.

At present, Molly is getting very attached to a fairly new team member, waitress and part-time guide for the castle’s daily Battlement Tours, Eilidh.  Molly has delighted in meeting Eilidh’s children and has shown her usual generosity in making sure they have a few gifts.

Langley Castle’s Food and Beverage Manager, Aiden McGuinness, has had many a long chat with Molly and feels she is now a part of the fabric of the castle.

“We are sure there is no other accommodation in Britain that has such a loyal and long-standing customer, or one who sticks to such a strict ritual every week.  During the time Molly has been visiting, the castle has had five different managers, has had its accommodation options increased by the transformation of the former stables in the grounds, now our Castle View facility, and also had a Glass Pavilion added.

“She has made friends with countless visitors over the years and had goodness knows how many chinwags.  Thursdays would just not be the same without her.”

Langley Castle would love to hear of any other such ‘regulars’ at hotels, to see if any accommodation can trump its assertion that Molly is the most loyal hotel customer in Britain.  

Anyone else wanting to discover the attraction of staying at the castle, or dropping in for a bite to eat, can find more information at www.langleycastle.co.uk   

Ends

Editors notes

Langley Castle, built in 1350, is located in Langley-on-Tyne, Northumberland and is one of the few authentic, fortified medieval castles in England. It has a rich history, with strong links to Jacobite rebellions, is located just a stone's throw from the World Heritage Site of Hadrian's Wall and boasts features including battlements, seven-feet-thick walls, window seats set into the walls and the best example of medieval garderobes in Europe. It is one of the most exquisite wedding venues in the north and also offers a wide range of options when it comes to exclusive use, with the castle being available for weddings, family celebrations, Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs, D&D-style events and a wide variety of corporate functions.