Ship Inn at Oundle taken on by Punch Pubs with new team at the helm

The Ship in West Street had been owned and run by the Langridge brothers for more than 40 years but the family has handed on the business to Punch Pubs & Co.

Ami Sanobar and Darren Paul will be the new faces behind the bar of the traditional hostelry with a promised investment into the pub.

Punch Pubs & Co head of estate development and acquisitions Andrew Cannons said: “We are pleased to be welcoming another fantastic pub into the Punch estate. Thanks to the Langridge family, The Ship is beloved within the Oundle community, and we are confident that it will continue to thrive as Ami and Darren work with the existing team to make the transition as seamless as possible.”

The Ship, that dates back to the 16th century, has a reputation for hosting live music.

Punch Pubs & Co operations manager Christian Gregory added: “Ami and Darren are fantastic publicans who have worked with Punch for a number of years.

"They already manage successful pub businesses and I’m excited to see what the future brings for them here at The Ship. They have been working alongside the former owners, brothers Robert and Andrew Langridge, and staff for several weeks as well as getting to know their local community, who have already made them feel incredibly welcome, for which we are very grateful.”

Regulars attended a farewell weekend including an 80s party as a send off for the family.

The Langridges said: “As a family, on our final night, we want to express our deepest gratitude to the incredible staff and loyal regulars we’ve come to know and love over the last 40 years.

“You are all amazing and we love you all. We will forever cherish the memories we made at The Ship.”