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| Apsley House Public House |
Regulars at the Apsley House in Southsea, Hants, say a generous ghoul, believed to be the ghost of a former barman, keeps topping up their drinks.
And at a recent retirement party for one of the staff, Paul Morgan finally photographed the mysterious phantom.
Father-of-four Paul, 47, who was snapping friend Gerry Goodwin, said: 'I was taking lots of photos with my iPhone because it was a fancy dress-themed party.
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| Alleged ghost ringed (click to enlarge) |
'I took a few of a group of friends and it was once I looked at them a while later I noticed something strange in the background.
'I took two shots in a matter of seconds. You can't see anything strange in the first, then a face appears in the next.
'It is very weird. I showed my kids and they couldn't believe it. There was no one near at the time.'
Married Mr Morgan, a regular for the popular pub's darts side, said none of the regulars have been put off going in for a drink after seeing the spooky snap.
Plumbing engineer Paul added: 'The ghost is famous round here now and the pub wouldn't be the same without him.'
Landlord Paul Wicks added they had nicknamed their ghostly regular Reedy - after actor and legendary drinker Oliver Reed. He has worked at the 1960s pub, formerly a Victorian girls' school, for 13 years.
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| A close up of the ghost |
Mr Wicks, 51, said: 'People say they have seen the ghost at the bar and that they feel things - cold spots things like that. I am a sceptic but can't see any rhyme or reason for what is in that photo.'
Source: DailyMail
But this isn`t the whole saga reported.
Way back in September 2009 another landlord wanted the ghost exorcised. Clearly it never happened.
Here is the initial report from `The Telegraph` newspaper. Link: TheTelegraph
The 60 year-old landlady, who runs the pub with husband Patrick, claims spirits are costing her a fortune after the beer-loving ghost continues to give away free beer.
She said the poltergeist, nicknamed 'Reedy' after legendary actor and drinker Oliver Reed, has been haunting her pub, the Apsley House in Southsea, Hants, after she took over the lease a decade ago.
But since the start of the year, it appears the generous ghoul mysteriously been filling regulars' glasses.
So frustrated at the ghost's actions, she plans to purge the pub of the spirit by holding a séance.
Mrs McCormack has already spoken to a number of experts in the spirit world about removing her awkward regular.
"I know it sounds very strange, but people's pints keep getting topped up," she said.
"They pop to the toilet or put their pint down for a second or two, and when they turn around there is an extra inch of beer."
She said the spectre's sympathetic re-fills are hitting her in the pocket.
"My regulars love it but it is costing me because people are drinking less," she said.
"We are getting more people through the door but it seems to be people expecting a cheap, never-ending pint.
"It is all a bit strange and it is driving me round the bend a bit. It makes stock take an absolute nightmare."
The Apsley was formally a Victorian girls school before being used by boozy city councillors as their offices and was only turned into a pub in the 1960s.
Regular John Sanders, 27, said: "I will certainly miss old Reedy because he always keeps me topped up.
"It is a novelty but if the pub is going to lose money then perhaps he'll have to move to a different one.
"You were always guaranteed a hangover when you drank in the Apsley - and you'd always have money left in your pocket for a kebab on the way home."
"They pop to the toilet or put their pint down for a second or two, and when they turn around there is an extra inch of beer."
She said the spectre's sympathetic re-fills are hitting her in the pocket.
"My regulars love it but it is costing me because people are drinking less," she said.
"We are getting more people through the door but it seems to be people expecting a cheap, never-ending pint.
"It is all a bit strange and it is driving me round the bend a bit. It makes stock take an absolute nightmare."
The Apsley was formally a Victorian girls school before being used by boozy city councillors as their offices and was only turned into a pub in the 1960s.
Regular John Sanders, 27, said: "I will certainly miss old Reedy because he always keeps me topped up.
"It is a novelty but if the pub is going to lose money then perhaps he'll have to move to a different one.
"You were always guaranteed a hangover when you drank in the Apsley - and you'd always have money left in your pocket for a kebab on the way home."
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