‘Britain's oldest pub’ to reopen as former staff take over lease

Ye Old Fighting Cocks in St Albans will reopen on 4 April under new management, as former staff take over the lease.

Former manager Martin Robinson is now landlord of the Hertfordshire pub, which is said to date to the 8th century, and he has teamed up with head chef Ian Baulsh and Sam Walker.

The new strategy will include a rejuvenated food offering, including new menus with regularly changing specials, an extensive barbecue area in the pub’s garden, a kids’ menu, live music events, and summer ‘festivals’.

The St Albans pub closed in February after a “devastating” two years of the pandemic which, according to then landlord Christo Tofalli, left the pub unable to meet its financial obligations and saw it fall into administration.

Robinson said: “I have worked here for 12 years as the manager, so I have a clear vision of how to ensure the future success of this pub. Ian has been head chef for the past eight years and is excited to share the pub’s new menus and his food strategy. 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.

“I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to Christo Tofalli ,who worked so hard to steer the pub through many acutely challenging trading conditions. Covid-19 was one challenge too far, but I will always be grateful to him for the loyalty he has shown the pub, and his team, and for his unwavering friendship.

“Ian, Sam and I are now excited to be taking the pub into the next chapter of its story, and very much look forward to welcoming many familiar faces back here, and hopefully some new ones too.”

Mitchells and Butlers is supporting the new management team.

The pub was once recognised as Britain's oldest by Guinness World Records, although the title is now inactive.