PUB REVIVAL: Two Friends Take Over Historic Prince of Wales in Havant's Town Centre — Plus Six-Day Rail Chaos Warning

THERE'S hope brewing on West Street — and it comes in the form of two friends who've decided to put their money where their mouth is.

Ally Brooker has taken the plunge and acquired The Prince of Wales pub in Havant town centre, bringing manager Nikki Brown along for the ride. After years working in pubs across Hampshire, Ally decided it was time to stop pouring pints for other people and start running the show herself.

FRESH START FOR A TOWN CENTRE STAPLE

The Prince of Wales has seen better days — that's no secret to anyone who's walked past it recently. But new ownership means new energy, new ideas, and hopefully the kind of transformation that brings people back through the doors.

Ally and Nikki aren't naive about the challenge. Running a pub in 2026 isn't what it was 20 years ago. Costs are up, footfall is down, and competing with supermarket prices is a mug's game. But there's something about community pubs that refuses to die — when they're done right.

The duo hope to inject new life into the venue, bringing back the kind of atmosphere that makes people choose a proper pub over a six-pack from Tesco.

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR HAVANT

Every town centre needs anchors. Shops, cafes, pubs — the places that give people a reason to actually visit rather than ordering everything online. When they close, the rot sets in fast.

Havant's high street has had its struggles. The Prince of Wales getting new, enthusiastic owners is exactly the kind of story the town needs. Will it work? Time will tell. But at least someone's trying.

We'll be keeping an eye on developments. If Ally and Nikki pull this off, they deserve a round of applause — and a round of drinks.

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COMMUTER CHAOS: SIX-DAY RAILWAY SHUTDOWN

While we're on the subject of news you need to know: your trains are about to disappear.

South Western Railway has confirmed that railway lines between Fareham, Havant and Portsmouth will be COMPLETELY CLOSED from Saturday 28 March to Thursday 2 April.

That's six days of rail replacement buses. Six days of journey times doubling. Six days of absolute misery for anyone who relies on Havant station to get to work.

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

Network Rail is conducting essential engineering work. The nature of the work hasn't been specified, but a six-day closure typically means something major that can't be done while trains are running.

Every station between Fareham and Portsmouth is affected. That includes Havant, Bedhampton, Hilsea, Fratton, and the Portsmouth stations.

BUSES REPLACING TRAINS

During the closure, buses will replace train services. What South Western Railway doesn't mention is what everyone already knows: rail replacement buses are slow, often crowded, and rarely run as frequently as the trains they're replacing.

Expect your journey to take significantly longer. If you're commuting to London, build in extra time — possibly an hour or more each way.

WORK FROM HOME IF YOU CAN

Anyone with the option to work from home during this period should seriously consider taking it. The disruption is going to be substantial, and no amount of planning makes rail replacement buses anything other than a pain.

PLAN AHEAD

Check journey planners before travelling and consider alternative routes if possible. Real-time updates will be available on the South Western Railway website and app.

The dates again: Saturday 28 March to Thursday 2 April. Mark your calendar and plan accordingly. This one's going to hurt.

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MP ON SHOPLIFTING PATROL

And finally, Havant MP Alan Mak has been out on patrol with police at Havant Retail Park, Greywell Shopping Centre in Leigh Park, and Emsworth town centre.

The focus? Tackling shoplifting. The MP has been pushing Hampshire Police to prioritise prosecuting repeat offenders and using CCTV appeals to identify suspects.

Previous patrols have taken him to Hayling Island, Purbrook and Stakes. Whatever you think of politicians doing ride-alongs, at least he's getting out of Westminster and seeing the issues first-hand.

Hampshire Police are reportedly focusing on repeat offenders — the people who treat shoplifting as a career rather than a desperate one-off. Whether that approach actually deters anyone remains to be seen, but it's better than nothing.

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