HARDWORKING bar manager Mark Beazley has been chosen as the Pride of Stratton by people living there.

Mr Beazley, bar and operations manager, has worked at Stratton Leisure Centre for 10 years and was nominated for his work running events such as the tea dances, which happen every fourth Thursday of the month.

The 53-year-old said: “I am very pleased, I am honoured to be nominated for the Pride of Stratton.

“I treat people how I like to be treated and its just going that extra mile really.

“That’s how I like to carry out my work and everyone says I’m always smiling and happy.

“It’s also how we treat our clients as well we we know all about our clients, most of them we know by their first names.

“I really enjoy working here it’s a nice friendly place. There’s lots of things going on.”

Mark runs the tea dances for over 50s – where members can enjoy dancing ballroom, latin, and sequence, once a month.

It used to be to live music, but now Mark acts as DJ.

He said: “I’ve got two left feet so I just do the music.

“With some of the dances we get a more mature clientelle so back in March I was in the Adver after we were able to keep the tea dances going, in a different format to try and keep it going for our more mature clients.

“Some of the come in for lunch and then come in for the tea dance afterwards.

“But not everyone dances, some come along just to enjoy the music.

“We’re a very friendly group and we always have a laugh, usually at my expense.”

The next meeting is on July 25, from 2pm, with an admission fee of £2.75.

Mark will also be in attendance at the Stratton Festival today at the centre, where he will be manning the beer tent.

He said: “We’ve got 19 different ales and eight ciders and perrys and we’ll be crushing apples for fresh apple juice.”

To find out more about the leisure centre visit www.strattonstmargaret.gov.uk/leisure-centre.aspx