IT executive John Cooney liked his local pub so much that he bought it.

And now the 58-year-old publican has turned his beloved Cricketers Arms into the independent village pub in the heard of the city.

The Cricketers, in Carlton Place, Southampton, is a pub that welcomes punters of all ages from students to city workers and dogs of all breeds.

At the helm is landlord John who after a 35-year career as a IT executive for IBM and Hewlett Packard decided to delay his retirement and switch to the hospitality industry.

It came after he saw his local, where he used to go every Friday night with his school sweetheart Sally, up for sale.

He said: “I had always been a regular of the pub, so when the opportunity came up to buy it, I jumped at the chance.

“It’s a unique twist, we want to offer a friendly vibrant village atmosphere that is welcoming.

“We like to pride ourselves on providing local beer and real ales whether it’s locally brewed or further afield with a friendly smile from staff.”

Among the offerings is a selection of real ales including Prowler, a fruity and light ale brewed in the New Forest by Red Cat and Punk IPA, a tropical flavoured fruit ale with a spiky bitter finish.

The venue also boosts a wide range of freshly homemade cooked food including meaty steaks and burgers, made to order alongside regular quiz nights.

John, who is avid Saints fan has also opened up the stage to local talent as well as introducing Sky Sports facilities to attract the matchday crowd.

“We get a divide of customers, some days it’s completely rammed because of a match day, others you can have quieter days with the locals,” John added.