The Crown Hotel in Alton High Street is set to have new owners from May 15.

Rumours of a change of ownership have spread around the town recently, with one half of a new couple said to be taking over believed to hail from Turkey - causing much confusion as to his identity.

Now the wife of the new owner, Louise Blair, has posted on social media to announce the change.

In her post, Louise wrote: “We’re aware the news has now started to spread about what is happening with the Crown.

“As the wife of the new owner, I can say that he is indeed Turkish. No relation to Kemal from the chippy though, but a very close friend of his - where we think the mix-up may have come from - and also, he’s not the town’s kebab shop owner.

“We wanted to let you all know that we are taking over from the 15th, but at this point all will remain as is. We do have plans for decoration, but hope to remain open as best we can throughout.

“We look forward to meeting many of you soon and hope that you will enjoy what we have to offer for the future.”

The Crown Hotel has a long history. Steve Austen, who retired as landlord in February last year, said he believed it opened in 1525, but Alton historian Jane Hurst thinks it is even older than that.

She said: “Sadly no-one knows when the inn first opened, but the earliest record of it is dated March 28, 1515 or 1516, when the inn holder was John Lydfforde. At that time it was known as the Pelican, after the symbol of Bishop Fox of Winchester.”

The Herald contacted the Crown Hotel on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning, and received confirmation that new owners would be taking over on Friday.