A NEW lease of life has been given to a Salford Priors pub which was closed for more than six months.

Landlord Carl Fox reopened the Queen’s Head in Iron Cross this summer in a move which he hopes will boost the local economy.

Mr Fox, former manager of the Lord Leicester Hotel in Leamington, said it was more important than ever to preserve traditional village pubs in the wake of dozens of closures across the country every day. “It’s such a beautiful building,” he said.

“It seems sad it was closed for so long. It’s been good to see some of the locals come back in here and hear some of the old stories. So far, I’ve had a really good response. I’m looking to try and do something for charity each year and really make it the hub of the community.”