A young woman has taken over the pub where she grew up.

Tallulah Rennie has become the landlady of The Old House at Home in Pudding Lane, Maidstone alongside her friend Liam Relf.

The 22-year-old has taken over from parents Karen and Jim, who are retiring after 25 years behind the bar.

Tallulah said she always hoped she might get to run things one day.

“I have been born and bred for this,” she said. “I don’t know any different.”

“I’ve always been around the bar since I was a toddler, running around and being more of a hindrance than a help.

“One of the customers I serve was one of the first people to hold me, which is funny.

“It’s my home and it always will be.”

But Tallulah has got some experience in other venues and has checked out the competition.

“I did work at Bierkeller for a while before Covid,” she said.

It was at this job where she met Liam, 24, who before joining Tallulah as landlord of The Old House at Home, had experience running a club and a pet shop.

They are excited to be taking over as landlord and landlady from today (Thursday) but they have promised regulars they are not going to shake things up too much.

“Don’t fix something that isn’t broken,” Tallulah said. “We are going to keep things the same, but add a little twist.”

And she is hoping to encourage a more younger generation into the pub, and introduce cocktail nights and a festival weekend.

Tallulah’s mum Karen said she is delighted to be able to pass over the pumps to her daughter.

“I couldn’t be prouder of all the work these two have put into the bid for the pub,” she added.

“They have truly shown they deserve this opportunity.

“The cheer in the pub when it was announced was amazing.

“Everyone who has been asking me every minute can now relax that their pub is in good hands.”

Karen, who took over with her husband in 1999, said: “The excitement takes me back to the day when Jim and myself couldn’t wait to make this pub the greatest place to come out for the best times in Maidstone.”

She said she is now looking forward to being on the other side of the bar.