"WE are more than just a pub," claims the general manager of Ye Olde Talbot.

And Nigel Preston has also reignited that long running debate - who is the oldest establishment in Worcester?

Mr Preston has been running the popular watering hole, on the corner of the Friar Street and College Street junction, for the past 18 months, and has researched the history of the 13th-century coaching inn to try and settle the debate.

"I'm not into the history debate," the manager said.

READ MORE: Down the pub: The Brewers Arms, St John's

READ MORE: Pub in Tolladine Road has shut two months after it opened

"But I think it is between ourselves and the Cardinal's Hat, claiming to be the oldest inn in town.

"I am old school though, I look at the old photos of Worcester and I think surely the old streets were here, they haven't changed - so if they started building somewhere, surely they would build on a corner, and work one way.

"Either they built the Cardinal's Hat and finished there, or here. Old pictures show we were here, and nothing going that way (along Friar Street)."

But Mr Preston said it wasn't just the history that has seen the Greene Inn owned pub become popular over hundreds of years.

"People make the place, I have a lot of regulars at night who come in, a great bunch of the older clientele who come in for our saver menu," he said.

"Some come in have a coffee, or a soft drink, they'll come in and they have favourite tables in the window, it's quite a nice location for people to look out.

"People come in here as they either have done for a long time and are coming back, or they have just found us.

"You could come in any night and witness exactly what this pub is all about.

"People sit or stand in an environment they feel comfortable - a traditional old English pub set in the city centre of Worcester."

Mr Preston said they were more than than just a pub, as they were running an 18-hour operation with a a 29 bedroom inn upstairs of the watering hole.

"When you consider we now have nearly every major chain (at nearby Cathedral Square) we could have quite easily lost a lot of business," the manager said.

"But food sales in the last 18 months have actually increased by 20 per cent, and that is because the food quality is exceptional.

"The food is traditional British fare - we are quality pies, steaks, fish and chips.

"At weekends its families, who feel very comfortable coming in.

"We are pooch friendly - which not a lot of places do. We have people coming out the cinema and restaurants, young and old, popping in.

"We are not into sports, we have not got a disco blaring out, people come in to have a chat.

"We have a roaring fire when its cold. Investment is going in to make us as good as we can be.

"Although we are pub, as a business we are actually really different."