THE owners of Westbourne's new micropub have pulled their first pint.

All Hail Ale in Queens Road opened on Saturday - four and a half years after its founders first had the idea of launching a business.

Owner Peter Hector said he and partner Emma, a marathon runner, first began to dream of their own micropub after participating in a run at the Olympic Park in London.

After the run, they were advised to visit a brewery and try a range of beers.

"Emma was trying different beers and she was liking it, and it kind of snowballed from there," he said.

However, the couple's dream was beset by problems, including objections from ward councillor and council leader John Beesley.

Cllr Beesley said residents living in nearby retirement flats Wellington Court felt "fear and concern" about late-night noise and disturbance.

The objections were dismissed by Bournemouth's licensing board as "not compelling" and Peter forged ahead with the redevelopment of the former Himalayan restaurant The Mountain.

It then took Peter seven months to rebuild the interior of the building.

He said: "I completed 95 per cent of the work myself, and the rest was done with a little help from a lot of friends.

"There were times when the despair came in and I asked myself if I was doing the right thing, but with a lot of encouragement from Emma, we're finally there."

And he said he'd had much support from Westbourne residents.

"The overall general feeling from the community is that it'll be nice to have somewhere for people to have a chat and socialise," he said.

All Hail Ale is one of eight micropubs in Bournemouth.

The venue, which will serve real ale and craft beer, is open daily from noon until 11pm.