A landlord is now in charge of the very pub he grew up in.

Matthew Brett is the new licensee of the Deal Hoy in Duke Street, Deal, along with his wife Martine.

It was Mr Brett’s childhood home when his parents Trevor and Lynda Brett ran it from 1986 to 1991.

Mr Brett says he has fond memories of the inn, especially the customers, adding: “I keep getting flashbacks of some of them and of how the place used to be.

“My mum, Linda, used to sit behind the bar on a stool, knitting. She was known for it. Back when I was about 11 or 12 and I used to be bottling up.

“We love Deal and it is fantastic to be back in the pub which has such special memories for me.”

Alongside new faces, the Shepherd Neame pub has been refurbished, with pieces by local artists adorning the walls.

The dad-of-two, a trained chef, is a third generation publican as his grandparents, Bill and Iris, ran the Three Compasses in Deal’s Beach Street for around 30 years.

Mr and Mrs Brett moved to the Deal Hoy from another former Shepherd Neame site a stone’s throw away, the Saracens Head in Alfred Square, which was sold by the company in the summer.

The couple quit that pub after 13 months, saying it was “impossible to make a profit”, blaming an increase in energy costs, the location and lack of community support.

Mr and Mrs Brett have two daughters, aged 13 and 16, the oldest of whom works part-time with them.

Among the nine full and part-time staff is long-serving bar manager Ben Doran, who is well known to regulars, having worked for the previous licensee.

Since taking over, Mr Brett has also staged some private events at the pub, including a wedding and engagement party.