St Albans: Ye Olde Fighting Cocks to reopen with former staff in charge

Ye Olde Fighting Cocks in St Albans has survived wars and plagues but the coronavirus pandemic brought new challenges

A pub reputed to be the oldest in England is set to reopen after former staff teamed up to take over the lease.

Ye Olde Fighting Cocks in St Albans, Hertfordshire, closed in February after licensee Christo Tofalli's firm went into administration.

Martin Robinson and Ian Baulsh, who were previously the manager and head chef, plus Sam Walker, will now run the pub, said to date back to AD793.

Mr Robinson said he had a "clear vision of how to ensure [its] future success".

The venue in Abbey Mill Lane has survived wars, plagues and economic crises, but when it closed, Mr Tofalli, who had run the pub for a decade, said the move came after "extremely challenging" trading conditions due to Covid-19.

He added he was "heartbroken" and had "tried everything" to keep it open.

Landlord Martin Robinson and head chef Ian Baulsh are two-thirds of the new management team of Ye Olde Fighting Cocks

Mr Robinson, who managed the pub for 12 years and pre-dates Mr Tofalli, said he was "delighted" to be the new landlord and to be teaming up with Mr Baulsh who had already been head chef for eight years.

Mr Walker has not previously been a staff member.

"I have a clear vision of how to ensure the future success of this pub," Mr Robinson said.

"Ian has been head chef for the past eight years and is excited to share the pub's new menus and his food strategy going forward.

"Sam brings a talent for aesthetics and design which will help us to enhance our customer experience, while retaining all the wonderful features of its rich history."

Former licensee Christo Tofalli said the impact of Covid-19 was "devastating"

Mr Robinson said the new strategy when the pub reopens on 4 April will include a rejuvenated food offering and live music events.

"Ian, Sam and I are now excited to be taking the pub into the next chapter of its story," he said.

The pub's freeholder, Mitchells and Butlers, said: "We are delighted that Ye Olde Fighting Cocks is so quickly under new ownership, of which we are fully supportive".

Ye Olde Fighting Cocks will be reopened by the mayor of St Albans on 4 April

The pub, an 11th Century building on an 8th Century site, used to hold the record for the oldest pub, but Guinness World Records (GWR) has since said this title is now inactive.

GWR said the record was "rested in 2000 when it became clear that it was not possible to verify it in full".

A spokeswoman said it was "never able to state definitively which was the oldest pub in the country, since the age and historical usage of buildings is in many cases uncertain".