One of Kent's oldest pubs could close on Wednesday, when the current landlords say goodbye.

Kevin de Young and Christina Warren gave notice of their intention to resign the tenancy at The Ringlestone Inn in Harrietsham to the brewers Shepherd Neame six months ago, but the company has so far been unable to confirm a replacement for them.

Mr de Young said he and his partner intended to take a long holiday and take things easy for a while before perhaps looking for another pub.

They have been at the Ringlestone Road pub for the past 11 years, but it has not all been an easy ride.

Last year, the pair complained publicly about what they considered to be harsh and unfair review comments on social media.

The 56-year-old, who has been in the trade for 40 years, said at the time that the use of social media was a Catch 22 situation.

He said: "We need to be on social media but there has been a definite rise in negativity. People make anonymous complaints and get very personal. It’s not like having a proper conversation with someone."

This week, he confirmed that that their decision to quit was partly because of social media. He said: "The stick we get really doesn't help, but there are a mix of reasons. It's very hard to get people out here, and with a low footfall and rising costs, it's just become too much."

The pub dates from 1533.

A spokesman for Shepherd Neame said the company did have a replacement couple in mind for the tenancy and were hopeful that any closure would be short-lived.