A husband and wife team have taken on their second pub and are aiming to put it "back on the map".

Alan and Michele Clarke have just taken over the Ship Inn on Herne Bay seafront after a campaign from residents to show how important it is and discourage it from being redeveloped into housing.

The couple, who also own Chestfield Barn in Chestfield are hoping to open the Ship Inn later this month.

"The right pub in the right area is always key," Alan said.

"We were lucky enough to get the opportunity to go for Chestfield Barn and it is the same situation.

"After several conversations with Stonegate, the brewery, they asked us if we would like to take it on.

"It ticks lots of boxes for us."

The 47-year-old says he and his wife will be doing their best to put the pub back on the map "like we did at the Barn".

He said: "It is a real shame because about three or four years ago and it was receiving fantastic reviews on Tripadvisor so it is just a real shame.

"I was really surprised to see the amount of support the pub has on Facebook.

"There is a Ship Inn support club it seems.

"The locals love it so we are going to work really hard at getting it back open and on the map.

The couple has run Chestfield Barn for about six years and Alan beleives "standards are key" to any pub's success.

"What we do in the Barn is what we are going to replicate at the Ship Inn. It is going to be the same standards.

"We are looking at a wine bar, gastro-style pub with decent ales, good quality beer and great food.

"It is good having Chestfield Barn because people know us."

The Ship Inn has been closed for just over a month and the new owners are hoping to reopen in April.

'For us, the biggest challenge is getting the Ship Inn open, giving it back to locals and putting it back on the map...'

Support for the waterfront boozer – which dates back in its current guise to the 1600s and is believed to be the town's oldest inn – was evident when residents and councillors came together to set up the Save the Ship campaign at the start of the year when the former landlords left.

The pub was a renowned smugglers' haunt and is thought to have stood there in some form since the late 14th century.

It is recorded as a rendezvous point for many heavily armed gangs preparing to fight for their illegally-gained wares of tobacco, lace, tea, gin and brandy among others.

Lights from vessels would twinkle across the bay reacting to signals coming from the beach.

The pub, which has in recent years been extended to include a terrace overlooking the sea, once also doubled up as a mortuary.

Alan added: "We are going to give it a real good going over inside as it is not in an amazing condition.

"The brewery has also given the go ahead for lots of work to be done outside including new signs and lighting.

"It is in such a bad condition that we are going to give it a spruse up outside as soon as we get the keys. We want to give it a bit of TLC.

"I think when you open the doors to an establishment like that, everyone will come in because they love it.

"Whatever we can go to it going forward will only help it."

Alan said the cost of living crisis has had a "massive knock-on effect" on their businesses.

"You have a couple of good weeks and you think you have earned a good couple of quid," he said.

"But your VAT is at 20% and your electricity bills are probably three times as much as they used to be.

"Unfortunately the brewery puts their beers up every year but everyone is in the same boat.

"Last year at the Barn we put a really big chunk of money into it and we were not expecting the cost of living to go through the roof but you have to invest in your businesses.

"For us, the biggest challenge is getting the Ship Inn open, giving it back to locals and putting it back on the map.

"We are not going to be here for five minutes, we are here for the long term so we have got to make it work."

"We are all in this to have a business but it is lovely to have a pub that is wanted by the community. It makes us all go the extra mile.

"We are always open to suggestions from the community.

"This pub is key to the area, I know the locals were worried about it being turned into a dwelling."