The new landlord of a landmark pub hopes to “give locals their boozer back” after it closed suddenly despite a huge renovation before Christmas.

Australian-born lorry driver turned publican, Greg Russell, has taken over the Duke of Edinburgh, formerly the Rockin Robin on the Green, in Barming near Maidstone Hospital.

The 45-year-old, who has more than 15 years’ experience working in pubs, restaurants, hotels and nightclubs, plans to promote it as a community-focused sport and music-led venue.

The single dad-of-three has spent 20 years in the UK and previously managed the Hop Poles in Enfield and the Old Hall Tavern in Chingford.

After getting the keys last month, Greg only had eight days to get the venue ready for opening weekend.

He said: “It’s been a bit mad, it has been long nights, early mornings, cleaning out, tidying up, the place has basically been stripped from top to bottom and had some redecorating done.”

As part of his plans, Greg has bought new big-screen TVs and plans to fit one in the smoking area outside.

He said he has made a “major investment” by putting on Sky Sports and TNT Sports to get people back into the pub to watch sporting events.

Greg said: “I think sport has to be the main focus of a wet-led pub.”

Although more alcohol than food-focused, he does have plans to bring in a select number of pub grub classics from April.

“From speaking to people in the community, they want their boozer back, so it’s predominantly going to be a drink-led pub,” he said.

Greg, who has lived in Barming for eight years and now resides above the business, added: “It is a pub with great potential, it’s got a very centralised community around it, and I think it can be a very successful pub.”

The business officially reopened on Friday, March 1 with a live music performance from local Indie Rock band Reptilia.

Greg said: “We have bands booked already for the next three months every other Saturday.”

Speaking of the reaction from the community, he said: “Opening night was absolutely brilliant; it was beyond my expectations, I expected it to be busy but it was really busy, so I was absolutely blown away by it.”

Back in February, Greg took to Facebook to advertise the reopening and said: “I can’t wait to meet you all and make this great local pub the heartbeat of the community it once was!”

The announcement was met with a flood of positive reactions from locals sharing their excitement and commenting “great news”.

Since opening, Greg says business has been slower which “was to be expected” after the pub’s closure the past two and a half months.

“There is a lot of excitement within the community that we have reopened, but we urge them to support us and come down here and keep coming in,” he added.

“I want to say a big thank you to people for the welcome I received on opening night.

“Let’s keep going and work together as a community to keep the place open.”

Back in December the Heath Road pub unexpectedly said it would be shutting and cancelling its New Year’s Eve Party.

It is not known why the previous tenants left, but following their departure, owners Shepherd Neame started looking for new landlords.

The pub is now open seven days a week from noon.