ONE of Yorkshire's best known licensed trade personalities is going it alone as he takes the helm of a popular Mirfield pub.

Roger Hodgkinson, who has been the regional chairman of the British Institute of Innkeeping for the past three and a half years, and his wife Christine have taken over at the Travellers Rest on Hopton Lane.

After 24 years in the licensed trade running a string of managed houses throughout Yorkshire, the couple have decided to strike out on their own by taking over the leasehold at the Punch Taverns-owned pub.

Said Roger: "Over the years we've managed a number of very high profile pubs in towns and cities such as Leeds, Harrogate and Pontefract but we decided the time had come for a new challenge.

"Running our own business is something we'd been thinking about for a while but had never come across the right venue.

"As soon as we saw the Travellers, we knew it had lots of potential."

Just a few weeks after taking over at the Travellers, Roger and Christine are already developing a reputation for food, prepared by chef Paul Brown, who has managed kitchens in several top London and Leeds hotels.

They also have ambitious plans to develop the business this summer.