IT’S a town centre pub loved by both the young and young at heart.

The Keys has been a home from home for people across Totton for more than 500 years.

Simon Hartle and Wendy Russell took on the pub in February 2012 and currently lead a team of five bar and kitchen staff.

It reopened again this week after a twoday makeover to give the pub a lick of paint and tidy up carpets and furnishings.

The pair moved to Hampshire from Oldberry in the Black Country so that they could be closer to Simon’s dad who lives in East Grinstead in West Sussex. Wendy, 46, has a lifetime of experience working in pubs, having worked her way up from being a barmaid at a restaurant to spending years travelling the country and managing pubs temporarily before permanent landlords took over.

Simon joined her in the trade after spending 12 years as a teacher.

Mum-of-one Wendy said: “I’ve worked in some lovely pubs, like this one, and some not so lovely ones.

“I like the business because you never know what’s going to happen. Every day that you open you don’t know who’s going to walk in.”

The couple, who live with their nine-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier, TC, were originally only intending to be temporary managers at The Keys but settled in fast and decided to stay.

Simon, a dad-of-three said: “The area appealed to us because it’s right down by the coast. The pub has some history and I love history. The front is a Grade-II listed building.

“Although everything we have is static, a mix of people come in and I like the fact that we can become great friends with people.

“It’s just nice to have these people around.

“We have had some wonderful times and there are many more to have.”

They regularly host charity events for Southampton Hospital Charity – a charity that was chosen after barman Andy Folkes’ mother Jacky Folkes made a full recovery after she was treated at the hospital for leukaemia.

The pub also has a darts team which competes on Monday nights and is currently ranked third in the Southampton area, and three pool teams which meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Food is served Mondays to Saturdays and the venue can be hired for parties and buffets.

Sport is screened at the pub and there is a beer garden at the back.

A pint of lager starts at £2.90.