AS HE shows me around the Horncastle pub that he runs with his wife Sally, it is blatantly clear that Ross Ellis is passionate about music.

The inside of Old Nick's Tavern, on the town's North Street, is like a shrine to the great figures of popular music.

Adorning the walls are portraits of iconic artists from the 20th century, from "the best performer" Elvis Presley and "the best writer" John Lennon to "the best rock band" Led Zeppelin and "the legend" Bob Marley.

It was this passion that led to Ross and Sally acquiring the pub after moving back to the UK from Australia four and a half years ago.

When the couple took over, the pub was, according to Ross, in a "pretty poor state of repair".

One thing it did have going for it, however, was a live music licence.

And under Ross and Sally's stewardship, the pub has built up a reputation as a hotbed of live music, attracting bands and fans from not only other parts of the UK, but Europe as well.

Ross said: "When we started out, the music was spasmodic – at best eight to 10 bands just rotating.

"Today, we've got bands of all different genres coming from Italy, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Manchester and Sheffield.

"We have a policy of not playing a band here more than twice a year."

During a well-travelled life, which has seen them move between the UK and Australia with dizzying regularity, Ross and Sally have seen some of the greats live in concert – the likes of ELO, Bryan Ferry, Stevie Wonder and Robert Palmer.

But they have been equally impressed by some of the bands that have taken to the stage in their own venue.

Ross said: "We see bands and ask ourselves, why aren't they signed up?

"We had a band called Vinnie's Vice from Holland, and I would hazard a guess that their guitarist was equally as good as Hendrix – his stage presence was totally awe-inspiring."

The couple have also been impressed by Grimsby's strong music scene.

Ross said: "We get a hell of a lot of bands coming from Grimsby – more so than Lincoln – and it has one of the best venues in the country for live music in The Yardbirds."

One of the motivating factors in returning to the UK after four years in Melbourne, was to help the burgeoning careers of their three daughters Elizabeth, Alexandra and Victoria, who together, make up the rock band The Almaboobies.

Ross said: "In Australia the girls must have done between 350 and 400 gigs, often driving 13 hours to Sydney for a two-hour gig with just 30 people turning up. It was clear they needed to perform to a bigger audience."

Ross, a former carpenter and joiner, had also become bored by retirement, and was itching for a new challenge.

He said: "We've always loved music and what we wanted to do was create a venue that had an ambience and some longevity.

"It's been a rollercoaster ride. It's demanding and it can be awfully stressful, but when you get it right, the rewards are immense."