Shane MacGowan: Norwich pub pays tribute to Pogues star

The Unthank Arms in Norwich has the chorus to Fairytale of New York painted on its windows

A pub has paid tribute to late Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan with a window display based on his most famous song.

Darren Smith, 53, painted the lyrics of Fairytale of New York on the windows of his local, The Unthank Arms in Norwich.

The signwriter and chalkboard artist completed the showpiece on 20 November, 10 days before the star died at home in Dublin, aged 65.

"His was a great life, well-lived. It's sad it's come to an early end, but I feel happy to have marked it," he said.

Mr Smith, a regular at the pub for years, even held his wedding reception there in 2005, with cockney duo Chas & Dave playing live.

Although his work takes him across Britain, he always returns to his local to design its Christmas display.

Signwriter Darren Smith chose the song's chorus for the display after reading that Shane MacGowan was coming home from hospital

Mr Smith has painted the Newmarket Street pub's windows every Christmas since 1999, and for the last 15 years has based his displays on lyrics to a festive song.

This year's was set to be Elton John's Step Into Christmas - until a last-minute switch.

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"I knew Shane was in hospital, but then I saw a tweet from his wife, saying he was coming out of hospital for Christmas," he said.

"After that, there was only one choice."

MacGowan died on Thursday, following a recent hospital stay

Fairytale of New York, on which MacGowan duetted with Kirsty MacColl, has been a Christmas favourite since its release in 1987.

It never reached number one in the UK but is odds-on favourite this Christmas following the singer's death.

Mr Smith has painted a Christmas display on the pub's windows every year since 1999

It took Mr Smith six hours to paint lyrics from its chorus across four windows at the pub.

"I always try to choose the lyrics that get people singing, and as I was painting, people were walking past, singing and whistling the song," he said.

Nick De'Ath, the landlord of The Unthank Arms, described the death of MacGowan as "such sad news".

He said: "The lyrics of Fairytale of New York have featured more than once on the windows of The Unthank because it's an iconic song and is always the highlight of the carol night we hold every December.

"After all the singing about snow and jingle bells, everyone's ready to belt out the slightly more 'gritty' lyrics and it's usually the cue for the more adventurous to climb up on the bar!"

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