The Swan Inn at Emery Down, on the outskirts of Lyndhurst, was reopened this week by Lisa and Lee Sainsbury and their family as a free house, meaning they can choose what drinks they stock without being tied to any particular brewery.

The couple, parents of four who have been together for 25 years, have been in the hospitality industry since their teens, running their own pubs and hotels around the UK for the last 20 years. 

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Following a stint at a loch side Scottish hotel, they decided to return home to the New Forest, where Lee grew up and even worked at The Swan decades ago.

After being in temporary charge of the now flood hit The Royal Oak at Downton, near Lymington, the family have made a long term move to Lyndhurst. 

Lisa told the Daily Echo: "We're so excited to be here at The Swan, which has so much potential. 

"It was previously a managed house where you ordered on an app on a smartphone. For us, that is the complete antithesis of what a pub should be.

"For us a pub is all about the people. You can eat and drink at home for a fraction of the cost of going out, so we've got to give people a reason to spend their hard-earned money. 

"It's all about the whole experience and doing something a little bit different."

There's an all English line-up on draught products behind the bar with lots of local spirits also available. 

The extensive menu of hearty pub food includes kangaroo and venison burgers and speciality sausages including wild boar, venison and Wagyu beef, as well as classics like scampi and chips elevated with a quinoa, linseed and amaranth crumb. 

Gin tastings and special events in the impressive beer garden are coming soon to the pub, now open seven days a week and ready for what it's hoped will be a busy summer season.