A new face is behind the pumps of 700-year-old The Artichoke pub in Chartham, near Canterbury - once owned by the founder of the Shepherd Neame brewery.

Holly Millin has become licensee of the venue - which is owned by the Faversham firm - after stints at other local pubs over the past three years.

She previously managed The Parrot and Ye Olde Beverlie in Canterbury and The Limes in Faversham.

Prior to that, she had been an operations manager at Sydney Airport in Australia.

She said: “I have always wanted to run a cosy, old village pub, so this is like a dream for me. It has been hard work but I’m loving it. It feels brilliant to finally fulfil my goal.”

The Artichoke is one of Shepherd Neame’s most historically significant pubs. Back in the 1650s it was owned by Richard Marsh, who turned it into a brew house before going on to found the brewery in Faversham.

Since taking over, the pub has undergone a refurbishment and introduced a new menu.

She added: "The village has such a lovely, community feel and the feedback since we reopened has been brilliant. All the locals have been really welcoming, and so many people have dropped off good luck cards we have put them up on the walls. My goal was to find a pub that I would love to visit with my friends and family - and The Artichoke is it.”

The pub is open on from Wednesday to Sunday.