HE'S spent 40 years pulling pints and calling 'time' but now the landlord of one of Hull's most traditional pubs is throwing in the beer towel.

Frank Jackson, 70, has had enough of the long hours and is handing over the reins of St John's pub on Queen's Road after 18 years as landlord.

"I have really enjoyed it here," said Frank. "It is a great pub and I have had 18 good years.

"But I got to the point where I just had to come out.

"I have worked a lot of hours. "You tend to work 80 to 100 hours a week."

His decision to quit has thrown the future of the tavern in doubt.

A new landlord is currently looking after the pub temporarily until Marstons finds a permanent replacement.

"There are two sets of people interested in taking over the pub," Frank said.

"The problem is it will become a tenancy rather than a lease so the pub could end up changing hands more often.

"The pub needs to be kept as it is and remain a traditional, local pub.

"I know it will carry on going but it needs to keep its character.

"There are not many pubs with three rooms anymore.

"There is a growing number of cafe bars in the area which are set out as just one big room."

As reported in the Mail earlier this year, figures revealed one in seven pubs in East Yorkshire are either closed or seeking new management.

The future of nearly 80 pubs of the 546 throughout Hull and the East Riding hang in the balance.

Pub companies are accused of charging high rents and beer prices, leaving managers with barely enough to live on.

That, coupled with the smoking ban, cheap booze in supermarkets and the changes to licensing laws has forced landlords to quit the industry.

Frank agrees there is a dearth of talented landlords.

"I don't want to offend anyone but there are very few proper landlords anymore," he said.

"People come in thinking it is easy but they don't realise how many hours you have to put in.

"I have been trying to sell my lease for about five years.

"There is still 14 years left and I had an offer of £135,000 a few years ago but it fell through.

"Since then, no one has been interested and I have got to the stage where I am just handing it back to the brewery.

"There are cheaper and shorter term options of getting into the industry."

While Frank feels he is at the right age to retire, he admits problems facing the industry has made the decision easier.

He said: "The smoking ban all but crippled me.

"This was a big smoking pub and I lost so much business. In the first year when the ban came in, I was down £60,000.

"I built it up again but it was never the same.

"Also, more and more people are drinking at home because of the smoking ban and cheap alcohol from supermarkets."

Frank was a professional gardener in his home town of Harrogate before taking on his first pub in York.

Frank came to East Yorkshire in 1969 where he took over the Half Moon in Elloughton where he built up the music scene for which it is still renowned.

After three years, he took over the Railway in New Ellerby before moving to Beverley where he took over the Humber Keel and Cross Keys.

He relocated to Hull and ran the White Hart near Drypool Bridge before taking over St John's.

Frank has no grand plans for retirement. He simply wants to relax.

"I don't really have any hobbies other than darts," he said, "but I will go with my son to watch Aston Villa who I support.

"I will certainly have a good break as I haven't had a holiday for five years. I'm worn out."