Meet the new landlady who has taken over The Old House at Home

Anita Charman has been running The Old House at Home, Love Lane, for approximately five weeks and has already made the pub more dog-friendly by offering treats on arrival to the pooches.

The 46-year-old from Abbotswood runs the 17th century pub with her husband Rob Gentles and the pair are landlords of the Golden Lion in Fareham.

Anita said: "We were looking for a local pub to invest in and now I have launched a winter menu at The Old House at Home. This will offer some Christmas-themed drinks, such as chai lattes and mint hot chocolate.

"We have just got the Romsey Gold in as well because I am trying to get some more local beer in the pub and I have launched a new wine menu.

"We offer lots of specials like mussels and our fish and chips do well here; we get our fish from ChalkStream who sell trout in Romsey."

Anita added: "The staff are lovely here and I have kept the same staff since taking over. My manager Mark is great as well.

"I am refurbishing the top bar and I am looking to revamp the garden after Christmas, however I want to keep the older features in the rest of the pub as they have been here for years. It is the only pub in Romsey with a thatched roof as well.

"We do get some customers from out of town, such as from the New Forest, but most of our clients are local."

The landlady is looking to host a pub quiz once similar to the one they already host at the Golden Lion, which will begin in the new year.

She plans to host regular events at the watering hole, where she hopes to have the Michelmersh Silver Band performing at Christmas Eve.

The Fullers pub also features a box at the bar which encourages residents to donate makeup to help African woman who have escaped abuse. The products handed into the box will go to Give and MakeUp.

Kerry Nicholas, a 50-year-old Fishlake Meadows resident, said: "It is one of the few places that do the beer I like. Before we used to avoid the pub, because it was expensive, but looking at the menu now it seems to have changed so we will come here again."

David Nicholas, a 54-year-old Fishlake Meadows residents, said: "It is very cosy and welcoming here. It isn't pretentious and there are a few people who we know go here too."

Craign Dexter, a 69-year-old Fareham resident, said: "It has a nice beer garden here and the staff are friendly. I have been here for a Christmas meal before and it was very nice."