Regulars stand up for Duke of Devonshire pub in Southsea as it faces Portsmouth City Council licensing hearing

The pub’s licence has been called in for a hearing after trouble on consecutive nights at the end of July. But staff and customers say they feel safe in the pub and never see trouble.

Pub regular Chris Foulger said Tom and Sam Yaman 'are two of the most personable and customer-focused landlords I have met in many years'.

'They strive themselves on making the venue a home away from home and [give it] a genuine community feeling like the pubs of the old days,' he said.

'I believe to suspend or remove the licence from these two hardworking and honest people would mean the loss of another decent, genuine pub in Southsea. '

He added that he believed the measures introduced earlier this month would 'significantly' reduce the number of incidents.

Mrs Willis, who also wrote in support of the pub's landlords, said the pub had had trouble with 'a small number of difficult troublemakers' but that they had been dealt with 'firmly but calmly'.

'I feel very sorry that they are facing a review of their licence,' she added. 'They don't deserve to be in this situation having worked so hard to make the pub such a popular place to be.'

Laurence Stevens said he had lived down the road for 20 years, adding: ‘It is always friendly and a safe place to drink and relax at all times.’

And Jak Biginton wrote to say he had been working at the pub full-time for about four months and had seen no issues other than the incident at the end of July.