Northampton pub and restaurant will reopen within two weeks after buyer is found in just three days

The Press will reopen before mid-February under its new owners The Lion Group.

The Press, in Abington Square, stopped trading on Sunday (January 27) after the owners announced they would be leaving in a Facebook post just three days before.

The restaurant had only been open for 14 months following the closure of the Bantam Cock late pub.

But now, The Lion Group - which also operates the Wedgwood on nearby Abington Street - has announced it has bought The Press and will reopen for business before February 11.

The restaurant closed its door on Sunday.

A spokeswoman for the Lion Group said: "The team - led by award-winning chef Paul Taylor - want to revive The Press as a great traditional hub of the town centre community, where people are comfortable coming to drink and socialise or for a meal.

"We are committed to building on the good work of the current team and using our buying power to bring customers better value."

The Lion Group say they will also renovate the pub's all-weather garden in time for summer and will ramp up its local cask ale selection.

Chief executive Daniel Fisher said: "It has taken time to find the right person for The Press. Paul is perfect for it; he is highly experienced, knows what it takes to build a fantastic pub business after running another one of our sites successfully for the last 10 years, and is passionate about great hospitality and meeting the needs of the customer. Paul is also a brilliant chef which will ensure the pub has a good dry as well as wet trade."

It comes as The Wedgwood approaches its first anniversary in Northampton after the Lion Group relaunched it in March 2018.