A SELF-PROCLAIMED man of the community is bringing a Hampshire pub back to life.

Matt Todd found the Wonston Arms near Winchester in need of a lot of TLC when he decided to take it over just a few weeks ago and has been working around the clock to give it a much-deserved new lease of life.

Formerly run by Julie Tabbitt and her son James, the Sutton Scotney free house was not “living up to its full potential”, Mr Todd said.

Now it’s undergoing a major refurbishment in an effort to bring it back to the community – to which he handed out free pints of beer in return for some hard graft just last week.

Mr Todd, who also works full time in telecommunications, said: “It’s a very insular community and I’m keen to know people and move my relationship on with my neighbours.”

Mr Todd said when he moved to the village with his wife, Barbara Streisand tribute artist Lisa Faye, 10 years ago he fell in love with the country pub and its locals before he’d even sipped his first pint of bitter.

But for him it’s also about celebrating Hampshire ales which is why he only serves the best hand-crafted local beers offering bar snacks and conversation.

Over the next two years he hopes to develop it into a home from home and later offer bed and breakfast once the six-bedroom property is complete.

“We weren’t even looking for this,” he said. “But it has an incredibly strong community behind it. I think it has the potential to be the best pub in Hampshire.

“I have the opportunity to create a legacy for this place. I knew it wasn’t going to close on my watch and if there’s anything I can do to keep it open I will do that.”