Rosehill Tavern landlady hopes lessons will be learnt after tragedy

Kellie McGarry, who ran Rosehill Tavern where her friend Elaine Horrocks died after falling down the stairs to the cellar more than four years ago, says she feels like a weight has been lifted from her shoulders after health and safety charges against her were dropped.

“It’s still not sunk in yet but I just feel like I can get on with my life now,” said mum-of-three Ms McGarry.

The pub’s owners, brewery Joseph Holt Ltd, pleaded guilty to the offence and will be sentenced next month.

Rosehill Tavern

After the death of Mrs Horrocks, the doorway at the pub was moved and a self-shutting door fitted.

“The tragedy couldn’t have happened if it was like that before,” said Ms McGarry, who added that she is concerned that other older pubs, which also have cellar access from public areas, could pose a similar danger.

“It is like a Russian roulette wheel – it could happen to anyone," she said.

“I just hope this is a shake-up for the industry and, at last, something will come of it.”

Ms McGarry, aged, 49, worked behind the bars of the White Lion and Rosehill Tavern, Westhoughton, before she took up the opportunity from the brewery of become landlady of the tavern in September 2017, just three months before the tragedy.

“They promised me they would give me a building that was fit for purpose but it is obvious they didn’t,” said Ms McGarry.

She told how she implemented extra training for the staff and tidied up the premises.

“I was trying so hard,” she said.

Ms McGarry was well-known in the town for her charity work and volunteering and hoped to use the pub as a base for helping others.

“I wanted to make it a community pub and do fund-raising from there,” she said.

“It was going brilliant and then that happened that night.”

Elaine Horrocks

The night of the Mrs Horrocks’ death the pub was busy as it was a Neil Diamond tribute event and, while her sister, Renella Broxton, manned the bar, Ms McGarry ran up and down from the cellar, where extra drinks were stored.

Customers would have to pass the cellar door to reach toilets and the outside smoking area and Ms McGarry says that she would leave it unlocked when inside the cellar so that staff carrying items back up the stairs could exit easily.

“If I knew then what I know now I would have asked the brewery to change the layout,” she added.

Mrs Horrocks was at the pub on the night of January 13.

“I’ve known her since I was 16 and we lived on the same estate,” said Ms McGarry.

“As soon as I walked in the pub that evening I gave her a big hug.”

Shortly before Mrs Horrocks fell down the stairs Ms McGarry had gone down the cellar and thought she heard the door latch click behind her when she returned upstairs.

But the door was not shut properly and Mrs Horrocks was found lying at the bottom of the cellar stairs.

“If I could turn the clock back and make sure the door was locked I would,” said Ms McGarry.

“I am so sorry that the accident happened.”

She told how she tried unsuccessfully to revive her friend and has since suffered from PTSD as a result of the death.

“It is so tragic but it is not my fault,” she said.

Ms McGarry continued running the Rosehill Tavern until Covid resulted in entertainment venues being closed.

But when they could reopen again, the charges pending against Ms McGarry at the time meant she could not get public liability insurance and so had to leave. She had not worked since.

“I have just been waiting and really want to get back into a community role now,” said Ms McGarry.