A CLOSED Hereford pub popular with locals is set to reopen next month.

The Volunteer Inn, in the St James area of the city, is currently boarded up, with minor damage to some doors being repaired. 

In April, Star Pubs & Bars, the pub business of Heineken UK, said that the pub was leased to an independent operator to run as their own business, who advised them that they had closed it.

The brewery said it was working to find a suitable operator as quickly as possible. 

And now locals can rejoice with the news that work is taking place to reopen it. 

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A spokesperson for Star Pubs & Bars said: “The Volunteer is temporarily closed for necessary compliance works. As part of the works, we are repairing minor damage to some glazed external doors including broken panes.

"This damage occurred before we drew up the current schedule of works in early June. We do not know the details of when or how it occurred.  

“The pub will reopen in mid July under temporary management while we identify a suitable person to lease it and review possible options for upgrading the pub. In the meantime the pub is secured and monitored by a security company.”

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​The Volunteer – known locally as the Volly – was particularly renowned for its Sunday roasts, which included a giant Yorkshire pudding.

Skittle competitions, quizzes, live bands, history and walking groups and a supper club were also held at the pub.

It has a four-star rating on reviews website, Tripadvisor with one reviewer saying it was "an amazing back street local".

"It was packed to the rafters when we visited and looking at other reviews, this seems to be the norm," said Isle-o-Wighty.

"We managed to squeeze on the end of a table and then soaked up the atmosphere.

"It was clearly the centre of this part of Hereford, everybody seemed to know each other, and I would imagine that they look out for each other too. Just what a great local is about."