Sir Ian McKellen is buying a 300-year-old pub

The Lord of the Rings actor Ian McKellen is a regular at historic east London drinking establishment The Grapes — which helped inspire 19th century English author Charles Dickens — and is in the process of purchasing it.

While he will be the owner, 72-year-old Ian — who lives close to the pub — will employ a manager to run it once the deal is finalized.

Seller Barbara Haigh — who has run the pub for the past 17 years — said, “Sir Ian is buying the pub with his own interests at heart, especially living close by.”

The pub was immortalized by Dickens — who was made to stand on the table and sing to customers — as ‘The Six Jolly Fellowship Porters’ pub in ‘Our Mutual Friend’ in 1864.

While Ian is a hugely successful actor and is set to be a landlord, last year he revealed he was mistaken for a beggar by a passer-by.

The veteran actor was amazed to be given money after he stepped outside a theater in Melbourne, Australia, where he was taking a break from rehearsing his role of Estragon in Waiting for Godot.

“During the dress rehearsal of Godot, I crouched by the stage door of the Comedy Theatre, getting some air, my bowler hat at my feet and seeing an unkempt old man down on his luck, a passer-by said, ‘Need some help, brother?’ and put a dollar in my hat. I hope the Melbourne audiences will be as generous,” he said.