Irvine's oldest pub will remain closed for the foreseeable future after the sudden loss of one of its owners.

The sad news of the sudden death of Jamie Murray was announced on The Ship Inn Facebook page this morning [Wednesday], as pubs across Irvine get set to reopen their doors to the public.

'The Ship' - as it is affectionately known locally has been run by Murray brothers Jamie and Christopher who took over the reigns from dad, Iain in 2003.

The pub dates back to 1567, when it was a Customs House, before becoming a licensed hostelry in 1754.

A statement from brother Christopher Murray to all the pub's customers said: "Due to the sudden and unexpected loss of my brother and business partner The Ship Inn will remain closed until further notice.

"As we try to navigate these unprecedented times we will be looking at the future of the business and what that now means for the family.

"We hope our customers can understand and respect any decisions that we make as we try to move forward.

"We would like to thank those who have reached out for their kind words, and also ask that the family's privacy be respected at this difficult time."