TRIBUTES have been paid to well-known pub manager and former county councillor Graham Jackson.

Mr Jackson was found dead at his home in The Meadows on Friday afternoon by his sister.

He was a former chairman of Notts Fire Authority and used to run The Globe pub, in London Road, as well as Fellows, Morton and Clayton, in Canal Street.

Les Howard, director of Great Northern Inns, said: "Graham worked for us at Fellows about two years ago and then he moved to The Globe as it was better suited to his style of management.

"He then went travelling after a six-month stint at The Globe and took up a part-time position again when he got back, as he wanted to pursue other interests.

"Graham had two great passions – real ale and Nottingham Forest, and he was a very active member of Camra.

"He is going to be very much missed."

Mr Jackson represented West Bridgford East on Notts County Council until losing his seat in 2005.

Friend of more than 30 years, Alan Turner, 57, of The Meadows, said: "He had a selfless devotion to the Labour party, you would call him a true socialist.

"He was a people's person and would always try get his staff at the pub trained to get them better wages, even if it meant he might lose out on a bonus. He would prefer to have a good and happy team working around him than make money for himself."

Staff from The Globe had alerted Mr Jackson's sister after he failed to open The Globe at the start of his shift on Friday.

Cassie Jackson, manager of The Globe, said he will be sorely missed by staff and regulars.

"He was always up for a drink and a bit of a laugh," she said.

"We are all going to miss him. He was a valuable member of the team. He was always a laugh. He had such a big personality.

"I got a phone call at about 12.50pm saying that the pub wasn't open.

"That immediately made me worried because Graham was so punctual and reliable.

"He would have rung me or my assistant manager to let us know if there was a problem."

Coun Alan Rhodes, Leader of the Labour party for Notts County Council, has paid tribute to Mr Jackson on behalf of his colleagues.

"I am shocked," he said. "We are devastated. Graham Jackson was an excellent member of Notts County Council, serving up until 2005 when he lost his seat.

"Our thoughts are with Graham's family and friends, and on behalf of the whole of the Labour group at Notts County Council, we are very sorry to hear this."

Mr Jackson lived in Loughborough Road, West Bridgford, when he was a councillor.

He then moved to The Meadows, where he lived with his sister.

Colleagues said they had noticed Mr Jackson had been looking ill in the days before he died. The cause of his death is not yet known.

Mr Jackson, who was in his mid-50s, started working at The Globe while still a councillor as he was friends with the previous manager.

When he lost his seat he was given a part-time job there. Great Northern Inns then moved Mr Jackson to Fellows, Morton and Clayton where he was the day manager, before moving him back to The Globe as general manager.

He left to go travelling after about six months but came back from Thailand after receiving an insect bite which became infected.

Mr Jackson then worked part-time at The Globe while picking up bits of consultancy work connected to his previous roles.

caroline.lowbridge@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk