A long-serving pub landlord is stepping down after 25 years so he can concentrate on running a coffee shop. Howard Lapish rebuilt The Hooden Smokehouse and Grill in Willesborough Lees, Ashford, following a devastating fire in 2016. But he is now looking for someone to take on the site’s lease, which has 14 years still to run, as he wants to dedicate more time to his Wye Coffee Shop and Kitchen business. Mr Lapish is yet to confirm exactly when he will leave the 17th century building but says he will hand over the keys in 2024. The 2016 fire gutted the Silver Hill Road property after flames spr…
