A CORBRIDGE pub is to come under new management after current publican Chris Baxter decided “it was time for a change.”

Chris and his team took over The Dyvels Inn on Station Road near the end of summer 2015, and completed a full refurbishment – only for the pub to be flooded during Storm Desmond less than three months later.

The damage forced Chris to close The Dyvels for six months.

Chris said: “We run two pubs, and we felt it was time to go in another direction.”

Chris will continue to operate The Manor House Inn, near Carterway Heads.

A Facebook post by the Dyvels team said: “Thank you very much for your support over the last two years.

“We look forward to seeing the few of you who also manage to make it up to The Manor House Inn.”

The Dyvels Inn is a Punch pub, and the Punch Partnership has wasted no time in finding a new publican.

A spokeswoman for Punch said: “The publicans at the Dyvels have taken the decision not to renew their lease and therefore they are due to hand back the pub this week.

“We have a new publican who is experienced within the industry and is returning to the North-East from London. He is excited about taking on the Dyvels Inn and looks forward to welcoming the local community to the pub. He is originally from the area and is returning to continue his love for the trade.”

Punch also said the pub may have to be closed for a couple of days to allow essential health and safety work to take place.