A community hub-style pub is opening its doors to offer free hot drinks and mince pies to those in need in the run-up to Christmas.

Princes Park pub in Princes Avenue, Walderslade, was turned into a community hub in April when mum Jane Brownlow used her savings to take over the empty premises.

Over the past seven months she has held parent and toddler sessions, talent shows and barbecues and is now opening her doors to those with nowhere else to go.

She said: “I want to give back to my community. It’s a warm space which is open all day long. It seems silly not to open it up to them.

“A bit of tea and coffee is not going to break our backs and I welcome the company myself.”

Jane, 42, bought the pub using her savings and with help from friends. She was after a challenge as her kids began to become a bit more independent.

She said: “I wanted to do something for me. The pub came up for lease and I thought I'd go for it."

She added: “It used to be a bit of a problem pub. It used to have sticky carpet and was not very inviting."

Jane has renovated the place and uses the front bar as the main drinking area and the back bar as a "stay and play" for parents and children in the day and a games hub for her children and their friends in the evenings.

The doors will be open from 11.30am every day in December.