A bright future beckons for a village pub which has faced closure and conversion to a home.

The new owners of the Whalebone Inn, Fingringhoe, want to make sure that the public house, which locals have previously fought to keep open, is at the hub of village life.

Sam Burroughes and Victoria Collins, who have bought the freehouse, both have plenty of experience of the licensed trade in London.

Miss Collins, 29, said: "It's lovely that we can keep the village pub open."

Published Monday January 12, 2004

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