A city pub which closed five months ago has now been sold to the King's School.

The Jolly Sailor in Northgate was owned by Enterprise Inns, now called the Ei Group, and run by landlord Ian Blackmore for almost 10 years.

But he reluctantly quit the pub last September, blaming "increased pressures"on the business and it has remained shut ever since.

Last year, Ei said it was "considering its options" for the building but this week revealed it had been sold.

The King's School, which already owns a lot of property surrounding the pub on the corner of Northgate and Broad Street, has now confirmed it has bought the pub.

Bursar Mark Taylor said: "We are very pleased to confirm that we have completed on the purchase of the Jolly Sailor.

"We have yet to finalise its intended use and fully appreciate the importance of the setting of the building, particularly in relation to our neighbours."

Any change of use of the pub is expected to require planning permission.