Former owner of Dunstable’s Old Sugar Loaf hotel celebrates 100th birthday

Centenarian Joan Allen enjoyed her special day on October 30, when there were ‘patio visits’ from grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as prosecco and cake with the residents on her wing at St Matthew’s Care Home, Redbourn.

The next day, Joan was collected by her daughter, Sally, and taken to Harpenden to celebrate with her son-in-law, Chris, as well as sons Ben and Lance, and daughter-in-law Suzanne, while there were more jolly patio visits.

Sally, 74, said: “It was a lovely surprise when a group from St John’s Church, Harpenden, were waiting in the pouring rain to sing Happy Birthday to her.

“My mother has always been an outgoing, chatty person. She also is a very strong person, as she lost her husband when she was only 45, so she had to carry on the business, which she did.

“She has always been interested in family and would keep in touch with relatives near and far.”

Joan was born in 1920 in Melbourn, Cambs, the daughter of builder and carpenter Lance Hale.

As a young woman, Joan would have loved to attend university, but because this was expensive, she worked at her uncle and aunt’s hotel - The Bull at Barton Mills.

She applied to join the Wrens when war broke out in 1939 and met her future husband, Peter, when she was transferred to Lee on Solent.

After the war, Peter and Joan joined the family hotel business, and after working in Herne Bay and then Royston, they moved to Dunstable.

Sally said: “The Sugar Loaf was quite run down when Peter and Joan arrived, however they built the hotel up to host many events for local clubs and societies including Rotary, police and masonic meetings.

“Several celebrities also stayed there, including Wilfred Pickles and Mabel, and Tommy Cooper.”

Sadly, Peter had been invalided out of the Navy during the war due to tuberculosis, and he died in April 1965.

Joan ran the hotel until the early 1970s, before working for Greene King in Bury St Edmunds.

Upon her retirement, she moved to Harpenden and became involved in the local RNLI and St John’s Church.