The new licensees of a historic village pub have revealed their plans to return it to its former glory.

Father and son duo Robert and Kevin Latta recently signed a 20-year contract to run The George Inn in Meopham, near Gravesend, and have already brought back its famous Sunday roasts.

The pair first took over the reins of the Shepherd Neame public house last year when the former licensees decided to retire but it was only meant to be a temporary arrangement.

They have now signed a permanent lease after they “absolutely fell in love” with the pub and restaurant on the A227 Wrotham Road.

However, Kevin, who also runs The Royal Oak in New Ash Green and Blend Bar and Grill in Bexleyheath, said the past year has not been easy as they inherited some substantial debts which they have worked to pay off.

He added: “Our hardest task was being left with no gas at the premises which has made it near on impossible to create the food quality that we strive for.

“But after a long, hard-fought battle we finally got the gas put back on in August.

“It has been hard but we are looking forward to the future. We have sold two of our other venues to move here and concentrate on this pub.

“Pre-Covid this place was booming but post-Covid it had collapsed. We want to make it what it was before the pandemic and it is now starting to get there.

“It has started to turn a corner and is definitely being brought back to life. We want to make it more family-friendly and more welcoming all around.”

And a big part of that has been bringing back the pub’s Sunday roasts, something the pair had to stop serving while they worked out the gas issues.

“Without a doubt, a good pub needs a good Sunday roast and then everything else will work off that,” Kevin added.

“We are serving 150 roasts each week now and are fully booked for Christmas Day.”

In February, The George will also be receiving a cash injection to fully refurbish the premises with new furniture, carpets, toilets and a front bar area.

The former coaching inn is believed to date back to the 15th century.

It reopened in the late 1990s after being rescued from semi-dereliction by the Faversham-based brewery.

The George Inn dates back to 1663 and was thought to be first run by Richard Durling.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, it was also used as the centre of local government in the parish.