A LANDLORD has called time at the bar after turning back the years at a Petersfield pub dicing with closure.

Alastair Southgate is not just good at pulling pints: he can also pull off a rescue act as regulars at the Black Sheep will testify.

The watering hole on Sheep Street was still called The Royal Oak when he left the hostelry in 1999 for a life of many different jobs around the country.

But memory lane brought him back to Petersfield and he came back for one last stint in November after seeing an online advert.

After steadying the ship he feels the pub’s near future is now secure with new landlords taking over on March 11.

“I just felt I could do it and bring this pub back to its former glories,” said Alastair during a busy Friday lunchtime.

“I’ve turned it around and it’s now in a good place.

“It’s been great and I’ve really enjoyed coming back, especially as there’s a lot of faces still here from the last time.”