Five months after the death of landlady Hilary Timms, the Kings Arms Hotel in Malmesbury High Street has reopened under new management.

New landlords Dorian Gallimore and Rosemary McLatchy have moved into the 15th century former coaching inn.

The couple ran a pub in Milton Keynes for ten years and, before that, were in Blackpool and Nottingham.

They have never lived in Wiltshire before and are finding life in Malmesbury very pleasant.

Mr Gallimore, 42, said: “It is a nice town and the people here are so pleased to see that the pub is open again.”

Head chef Nigel Howe is from Swindon who has been working as a self employed chef.

He and second chef Dion Doman will be serving traditional pub food, with a carvery at lunchtime and a steak night every Tuesday.

Ms McLatchy, 55, said: “We haven’t made too many changes as yet, as it is early days.

“But we have given the sports bar a bit of a redesign, turning it into more of a lounge. The locals seem to really like it.”

The hotel has 11 rooms, which are mainly used by business customers.

The new landlords are hoping to attract more holidaymakers over the summer.

In particular, they are expecting a boost when the Badminton Horse Trials take place on May 7 to 10.

Previous landlady Hilary Timms died of a heart attack on December 12, aged 53.

She had run the popular watering hole with her partner Keith Johnson for more than 20 years.

She had been an activ e member of the town’s Pubwatch scheme and, under her management, the hotel had an entry in the Good Pub Guide and won the 2006 Best Barclays Premiership Branded pub title.

The pub is owned by Enterprise Inns with the lease held by the Wycombe Pub Company