Kevin and Carol Nichol are the new licensees at the Volunteer Inn, Grove, Wantage in Oxfordshire.

And the couple, who have recently returned to the country after 20 years in South Africa, plan to put their Hook Norton pub at the heart of community life.

When the pub first opened in the 19th Century it was called the Rifle Volunteer, a tribute no doubt to many local people who joined the army.

And 150 years later, Kevin and Carol Nichol are still looking for volunteers - but not to fight for Queen and country, but to take join their darts, pool, and Aunt Sally teams.

And if there is enough demand there will be crib and dominoes teams too.

Newspapers are available for anyone wanting to pop in for a morning coffee or a glass of Hooky bitter.

Kevin Nichol said: �I must being something right, because we are getting lots of compliments over the quality of our Hook Norton beer.�

Wholesome pub food is prepared in the kitchen for people who want to eat at lunchtime or in the evening.

And come the summer a braai vleis - the South African equivalent of a barbecue - is planned for the attractive fenced, courtyard garden.

Close to the home of the Williams F1 team - Kevin Nichol is on the look out for racing memorabilia to decorate the bar - and Carol is keen to track down old pictures of the pub.

With a large car park - the pub is an ideal venue for Morris sides and is suitable for ramblers who want to park safely for the day - returning to the pub for lunch or dinner.

The pub is well known to pigeon fanciers, as a clocking station is housed in the car park - this is the place where racing pigeons are released from, before flying back to their lofts.

Kevin is a West Ham United fan with over 40 years experience of grief, tears and even elation - and as far as he is concerned the only way for the Volunteer is up - unlike his beloved Hammers.

The Volunteer was originally built to serve the local Wantage Road station and the terminus of the old Wantage tramway and keen industrial archaeologists can still see evidence of these.

The Volunteer is on the edge of the village of Grove, three miles north of Wantage on the A338, the road to Oxford. -Ends-

Notes for editors The Volunteer Inn, Grove, Wantage, Oxon, OX12 0DH Tel: 01235 769557

For information on Hook Norton contact: James Clarke, Managing Director Tel: 01608 737210 Web:www.hooky.co.uk

For media information, please contact: Tim Hampson Tel: 01865 790675 Email: tim@infopub.co.uk