Damien Devine (third from left) with his daughters and friends outside the Old Red Lion in Angel

A BELOVED landlord poured a final pint on Saturday as he waved goodbye to the theatre pub he has owned for more than two decades.

Damien Devine took over the Old Red Lion in Angel 25 years ago but has decided now is a good time to bow out.

“It’s very mixed emotions,” said Mr Devine, “I’ll miss the people the most, it’s a lovely part of Islington and it’s not just about the theatre, we’ve got our regulars, local residents, City workers, we’ve created a pub environment where you’ve got a proper mix of people, all ages, all backgrounds.”

Janine Duvitski has bought the venue

The theatre has been sold to Janine Duvitski, known for her roles in Benidorm and One Foot In The Grave, and her husband Paul Benthall, an actor whose credits include Flash Gordon and First Knight. Daughter Edith and son-in-law Jeremy, who are members of the band Fours, will now be operating the venue.

“They’re a proper acting family, and they’ve done some directing as well,” said Mr Devine.

“They’ll take the theatre on to another level.”

Dating back to 1415, the Old Red Lion first became a theatre pub in the 1970s and gave many well-known actors their first taste of stardom before falling into decline.

But the mission was revived in the early 2000s by Mr Devine and his brother, and a new generation of actors walked across its stage.

Mr Devine said: “The Play That Goes Wrong, that started in the Old Red. They were a bunch of kids straight out of drama school. I’d say that’s been our greatest success, it’s now a multimillion-dollar franchise.”

The long-time landlord doesn’t plan to exit the business entirely, and will be using his expertise to embark on a new passion project.

Mr Devine said: “I’m going to buy a small country pub in Hertfordshire, near where I live. It’s closed and unloved at the moment, but it used to be a fantastic pub. Some friends and I are going to restore it to its former glory.”

And will he be making any trips back to where it all started?

“I’m not going to be a stranger,” he added.

“I’ve got lots of friends in the area, I’ll be popping around visiting… and maybe even going to the theatre.”

Simon Chaplin, senior director at Christie & Co, which handled the sale, said: “When we first spoke with owner Damien, we could not have envisaged a change of landlord, a new lease needing to be negotiated, and a pandemic, which for an intimate theatre was devastating. However, we have now secured a deal with Cowardly Lion who are fitting owners for this unique London landmark.”