LANDLORD Dave Taylor has pulled his final pint at the Kings Arms in Weymouth and is swapping Dorset for warmer climes.

Weymouth stalwart Mr Taylor, who has run the popular quay boozer for three years, is retiring to Portugal.

He held a fun-filled farewell party complete with live music at the Trinity Road pub to say goodbye to his faithful regulars.

“Basically I’ve had enough now,” he said. “I think I’ve done my bit and it’s time for someone else to come in and have a go.”

Mr Taylor, 40, said whoever takes over the Kings Arms would be inheriting ‘one of the busiest pubs in Weymouth’.

He said: “It’s a proper locals’ pub. Everybody knows the Kings Arms, it’s a pretty famous place.

“It’s on the right side of the quay and we never had any trouble, perhaps because the average age of our customers was that little bit older.”

Mr Taylor, who also owns The Chatsworth Hotel on Weymouth’s harbourside, said running the Kings Arms had been a ‘real experience’.

“I’m not sure how much I’ll miss it because it really is hard work,” he said. “And running two places makes life even more difficult.

“But I enjoyed building the trade up over the last three years and turning the Kings Arms into a good, fun beer pub.”

Former fisherman Mr Taylor said he was looking forward to a more relaxed way of life in Portugal.

He added: “The price of everything has gone up over here and it’s difficult passing that on to customers – especially the regulars.

“But the brewery have been as supportive as they possibly could have been and this is very much a personal decision to retire.

“I will probably look at finding a little bar to run over in Portugal. I’d like to try and stay in the trade – just somewhere with better weather!”