Gary MacMartinGARY MacMartin, the new landlord of the Rising Sun pub, is promising to clamp down on any troublemakers.

For a number of years the pub, formerly called Munnelly's, has had an unenviable reputation for attracting trouble. Fights, emanating from drunkenness, have broken out there.

Mr MacMartin, who also runs the Four Seasons pub in High Street, intends to adopt an uncompromising position when the pub reopens.

He said: "I want to clean up the name of the Rising Sun. Before I came to Devizes I am told it had a bad image and was a trouble spot.

"The pub will be policed with door staff and I will not tolerate any trouble or drugs on the premises.

"If there is trouble people will be barred from the pub as well as the Four Seasons and vice versa. I am working in conjunction with Kennet District Council and the police in cleaning up the image of the Rising Sun.

"I am trying to work with the neighbours of the Rising Sun with a view to keeping an eye on the noise levels and when customers leave the pub."

Mr MacMartin, who has increased turnover by 30 per cent in the three years he has been the landlord of the Four Seasons and is a member of the town's Pubwatch scheme, said: "I want the Rising Sun to appeal to people of all ages. I want it to have a good image so people go there for a good night out and there's no trouble."

Both pubs are owned by Punch Taverns and Mr MacMartin has signed a ten year lease for the Rising Sun.

The pub has been closed since last July after previous tenant Brian Foster became concerned about health and safety in the pub.

It had been open for only two months and more than £160,000 had been spent on refurbishing it.

Mr MacMartin hopes to have the Rising Sun open in time for Easter and is in the process of recruiting 25 staff.