TRIBUTES have been paid to a popular landlord, Malcolm Braithwaite, known as ‘Lofty’, who has died following a stroke, aged 59.

Mr Braithwaite had run the Royal Oak in Malton and Middleton Arms at North Grimston with his wife, Ros, for a number of years.

Mrs Braithwaite said her husband had come to live in North Grimston as a teenager before moving to Norton when they married in 1981. The couple had two daughters, Emma and Caroline.

Mr Braithwaite worked at Malton Bacon Factory until 1998 when the couple took over the Malton pub, followed by the Middleton Arms in 2006. He suffered a small stroke 16 months ago which had left him with an inability to recall things. He suffered a second stroke on December 10.

“The staff at Scarborough Hospital were amazing and so helpful – nothing was too much trouble,” said Mrs Braithwaite.

Mr Braithwaite’s funeral was held at North Grimston Church on Monday.

“I was amazed at the number of people who came, including those he had worked with, old schoolfriends, fellow landlords and members of the darts and pool teams,” said Mrs Braithwaite.

She added: “He was a lovely man, very kind-hearted and level-headed – he will be tremendously missed.”