The new owners of a Workington pub say they want to get it back to being a “good old-fashioned boozer”.

Denise and Mike Rollo have taken over The Royal George pub on Cross Hill.

The couple have been running the bar at Workington Reds for the last four years and are now ready for a new challenge.

Mrs Rollo said: “We just thought we fancied having a go at a pub. We were waiting for one at Workington and we just thought we’d have a go.”

She said their new venture was going “really well” so far.

“Everybody has been so good with us. We have got people back into the pub who haven’t been here for a while. We just want it back as a good old-fashioned traditional boozer. We want it to be a traditional neighbourhood pub that serves good quality bar meals and is a place for people to come and socialise. We want to focus on the social aspect.”

The Workington couple are well-known in the area – Mrs Rollo is a Workington town councillor and former deputy mayor, while her husband is a director at Workington Reds. They are also juggling working at the pub with their full-time jobs.

Mrs Rollo said: “I didn’t expect it to be easy but it’s rewarding. We have kept the same staff on and they have been absolutely fantastic.

“We’ve been blessed.”