Fareham town centre pub welcomes a new landlord - and punters can meet his pair of barn owls

The Fareham, in Trinity Street, is under new management with business partners Ron Challiss and Ian Winch, alongside his wife Karen, who have spent more than five years running The Waterloo, in Weymouth,

Also settling in are Ian’s pet barn owls – named Emmy and Ollie - which he hopes to introduce to punters and take to schools across the area.

The 51-year-old said: ‘When I lived in Weymouth, I used to work with a guy taking the owls into care homes, as they can be very therapeutic for people with dementia.

‘When he retired and couldn’t look after the owls, I said I’d take them on.

‘I’m hoping to take them out to care homes and schools down here.

‘They are amazing animals.’

The pair have praised the local area for making them feel welcome as they’ve worked to take on the venue in the middle of the coronavirus outbreak.

Ron said: ‘It’s a lovely area.

‘To me Fareham is a much more friendly town.

‘Here people in the street say hello – you don’t get that in the part of Weymouth we’ve come from.’

Ian agrees: ‘Fareham is a lot more civilised - it's a safer area.’

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But the owl-owner is pleading with patrons to wear face masks for their own safety - as many don’t seem to give a hoot.

He said: ‘It feels like we’re banging our heads against a brick wall.

‘All day, we’re saying ‘face mask, face mask, face mask’ to people.

‘I know it’s a pain in the backside, but we have to wear them.

‘I think the government opened up the country too soon.’

The pair are the third team to run the pub in two years, with previous landlord, Peter Slinger, having taken over the public house in March 2019.

Now Ian and Ron plan to commit to the Ei-owned local for many years to come.

Ron said: ‘We will be here for five years at least.

‘We think it is important for a landlord to stick around.’

And the pair have plans to renovate and reopen the kitchen later in the month, with Karen running a traditional pub food menu.

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