A MUCH loved Whitchurch pub has announced new landlords will be taking over next year.

Samantha Allen and her partner Harry Richardson will be taking control the Old Town Hall Vaults in St Mary's Street on Thursday, January 12.

Samantha and Harry will be taking over from Gary and Caz Colbourne who have run the pub for five and a half years.

Samantha has worked in the pub for over a year and has got to know regular customers and is looking forward to running it.

She said: "It is somewhere where I have just fallen in love with.

"I love the building and atmosphere and thought we should take the plunge and try it for ourselves."

The new landlord of the pub, which is owned by Joules Brewery, said the pub has loyal customers.

She added: "We get daily regulars who come in.

"When it is closed on a Monday, they'll find somewhere else to go but they will still comeback the rest of the week.

"You get to know people personally because they come in every single day.

"It is very community spirited and it has held previous events for charities in the past.

"We definitely want to continue to do things like that."

Samantha confirmed many popular events which took place under the previous landlords will continue.

She said: "We will still do the monthly quizzes and have live music.

"We will keep it very similar but with our own twist on it."

Samantha has lived in Whitchurch for 20 years and Harry for six years and she believes it'll be beneficial in running the Old Town Hall Vaults.

She explained: "Because we know the area and people it will be a lot easier for us here than going to somewhere brand new where we don't know who the regulars are or what day would be busy.

"It will be a lot easier to decide on when we have live music or do a quiz night."

The building and fire is appreciated by many customers.

Samantha said: "At the end of the day it is the building as well.

"It helps we are people our customers know.

"But the building has that much character and such a really nice atmosphere in there.

"We have one open fire and one log burner.

"People can use our heating and buy a beer."

You can follow the Old Town Hall Vaults via https://www.facebook.com/oldtownhallvaultswhitchurch