POPULAR landlady Tina McCann has spoken of her sadness to be leaving The Castle Inn but says she is ready to start a new chapter in her life.

She has been running the pub in Prospect Place, Old Town, with her partner Seb Read, 35, since 2007.

The 46-year-old, has now made the tough decision to put the Castle on the market after nine years so she can spend more time with her daughter Lou-Lou, 21, and the rest of her family.

“We are in our ninth year now and it is just time for us to move on,” she said.

“We are not leaving because it doesn’t make money, we are just leaving because we want to spend more time with each other and our loved ones.

“I am sad to go and I shall miss it. This has been my baby.

“But I am looking forward to a new chapter and I’m feeling optimistic.”

Tina, who previously worked in landscape gardening, took over the running of the pub after she lost her son Mitchell McCarthy nearly 12 years ago when he was killed crossing the road on his bike.

“My brother said to me, I’ve got the money, you’ve got the personality and I have not looked back.

“You never forget what has happened but it helped me deal with it more,” she said.

“The pub is a beautiful pub, we have got lovely neighbours. We resolved the issues with the council and there has been no trouble since and it was all put to bed.

“We have great customers and it has just got busier and busier. It is a proper boozer with no airs and graces. There aren’t many of these real pubs left and that is why it is as busy as it is, because people like it.

“Our youngest that comes in is 18 and our oldest is 80. Even the recession and smoking ban didn’t stop it.”

Tina added: “Hopefully someone local will take it over and keep it the way it is.

“The lease and business could be on the market for a month, it could be six. As soon as someone is interested we will go, but Punch Taverns want someone with the same ambition to keep it going.”