THE community's place at the heart of The Kings Arms will be celebrated as the pub marks its 200th anniversary this weekend.

The pub in The Moors has stood proudly in the village since 1817 as a family run boozer with an impressive selection of real ales, as noted in The Good Pub Guide.

This weekend marks the pub's bicentenary with music performances, raffles and a beer and cider festival.

The event is being staged by landlords Gerry and Christine McGrath, all in aid of Prostate Cancer UK.

Mr McGrath said: "As it is the 200th year and we are a local community pub we are doing lots of fundraisers for Prostate Cancer UK, supporting the charity with a beer festival, barbecue and live music.

"We have some local ladies baking cakes to raise money and we will be giving out pint glasses to raise money and every 10p a pint will go to charity.

"I am also giving 10p to charity for each pint poured.

"Prostate cancer is not that well known.

"One or two customers and many friends have or have had prostate cancer so we want to raise as much money as possible for charity."

Mr McGrath joined The Kings Arms more than 20 years ago after he stepped in as manager for six months in 1996.

He took over as landlord in March 1997 after the pub was bought out by John Salter, best known as managing director of Oxford-based boat business Salter's Steamers.

He said: "We got to know the pub when visiting my wife's family who lived two doors away and next door to Mr Salter.

"It was the local pub when we visited and they said to me that whenever I retired there would be a job for me at the pub."

Mr McGrath hasn't looked back since, and said the community aspect of the pub is what keeps him in the role.

He added: "We like being part of the community. I know all my customers and we get on very well, some of the regulars you could even set your watch by.

"With a pub, especially in the past as a landlord you'd be very respected and a sort of pillar of the community."

Mr McGrath said the secret to the pub's long-running success over the past 200 years is the fact that community has remained at the heart of its work.

The pub's 200 year celebrations will continue today.