MyNewPub

Nag's Head

Saltby

Leicestershire

John Cox, who has been in the pub trade for 38 years, has just taken on the Nags Head, a community village local in

Leicestershire. He will run the freehold pub with partner Cathy Dunn and the couple are set to marry when they get the pub running smoothly.

The pair arrived last week and hit the ground running, delivering flyers across the village inviting new customers to a free bar and buffet. Cox, who also does regular voluntary work with the British Heart Foundation, plans to introduce discounted pensioners' meals every day and make better use of the pub's function room. He is considering converting some of the pub's upstairs areas into letting accommodation.

Cox said: "We're going to settle in and get to know

everybody and find out what they want out of the pub. We hope it's going to be a homely sort of place. Cathy's not a chef but she's great at cooking simple English dishes such as steak and ale pie and cottage pies, which are flying out of the door at the moment."

The couple have had a very busy weekend with customers coming from their last pub, the Recruiting Sergeant, which is 10 miles down the road.

"Our old customers are very loyal and supportive and I think they'll probably become regulars: they enjoy my beer and Cathy's food," explained Cox, who feels confident of boosting turnover by opening all day to encourage local

farmers to visit the pub for a quick drink on the way home.