Easter bun hanging tradition returns to Horndon pub

The honour of hanging the traditional Good Friday hot cross bun at The Bell Inn at Horndon-on-the-Hill was bestowed upon village resident Judy Rood as a thank you for the support she gave to the pub during lockdown.

Every Sunday without fail during the height of the pandemic, Judy, 79, collected a roast dinner from the pub, which organised a takeaway service to keep revenues flowing during the crisis. As a thank you, staff decided she should be the villager chosen to hang the 2022 bun when the tradition returned this year as a village event following a two-year hiatus.

“The Bell has been a special place for me ever since we moved here in 1962,” said Judy.

“My late husband Peter and I always came up here for celebratory meals with family, friends from the village, and friends from France, Germany, Austria, and South Africa.

“I would like to say a big thank you to staff who have been such a support over the years, especially during lockdown when I was able to come and get my roast lunch on a Sunday which was the highlight of my week.”

Even in the war years and during the pandemic, a bun has been hung in The Bell on every Good Friday since 1906.