A pub is set to reopen as new landlords announced they were hoping to reopen the popular watering hole by the end of the month.

The Cross Keys has laid empty since October 2022 after landlords Karianne and Nathan Lee announced they were leaving, adding they "gave it a go".

And another of the village's boozers shut up shop this month with The Harrow landlord Sanjay Dogra announcing he was leaving the historic pub.

But now, The Cross Keys in Wanborough, is set to reopen, with the incoming landlords hoping to get the doors open again by the end of this month.

Sonja Travers is moving to the village along with her husband Adam, and their three daughters, Liv, Jess and Sienna and is looking forward to getting started. 

In a post on the pub's Facebook page, they said: "We've been ageing like fine wine during the hiatus, but it's time to pop the cork! Cross Keys Pub is reopening soon - where history meets the perfect pint. Who's joining us for the grand pour?"

In November, Sonja and her husband - who are both chefs - introduced themselves as the new landlords.

"We are both chefs with a passion for good quality food! Coming from a mixed heritage our background is Italian/Sicilian & Irish- Spanish.

"We have a few twists on our food but always delicious 100 per cent we love food and travel this is going to be our home for the next 5 years minimum and we hope you will love our food as much as we do."

The family were hoping to have the pub back up and running for the community earlier, but a setback over a new gas meter meant they could not open in time for Christmas and had to push the opening back.

The pub was the last one in the village to reopen following the lifting of Covid restrictions

This was because after all pubs were forced to close in March 2020, its landlord at the time, Kirstie Mingham, accepted a new position at a different venue leaving it without someone to run it.

After that it hosted many events including charity fundraisers, live music and even a dog show, until the departure of Karianne and Nathan. 

In 2018 it received a £280,000 makeover from owners Wadworth who removed an old conservatory and added an extension to make it bigger.