Villagers were left shocked today when they saw their local community pub closed down and boarded up without notice.
The Lamb pub on Wistaston Road in Willaston had its front windows boarded up by workmen, leaving the village short of another vital community asset.
Many are furious at the loss, while others speculate that fields behind could be earmarked for housing.
Villager Caz Bryne said: “What a massive loss to the village.
“It’s been here for years and is part of our history. It’s such a shock.
“We think it’s part of a planning application for houses, but we don’t really know for sure.
“We’re regulars in the pub and we’re trying to find out more.
“This village needs amenities like a pub if it’s going to keep growing with new houses.”
Another resident added: “It’s a Punch Pub and we don’t think the landlord knew much about it.
“It was always fairly busy at weekends. We’ve formed a friendship including the landlord group, so we can still meet up.”
We’ve contacted Punch Pubs and the landlord of The Lamb and are waiting for replies.
Perhaps locals form a consortium and manage the pub themselves, as a suggestion.
the answer is to start a garden shed pub, then you can buy from the supermarkets
Ive summarised this from a local pub in Staffordshire last week which outlines the reasons why pubs are closing very well. The big organisations which includes the supermarkets have a massively unfair advantage. You can check the figures out on how supermarkets pay tax and VAT (figures just quoted from the original post below) but whichever way you spin this, they are killing pub trade
Write to your MP if you feel strongly enough about this. Nothing will change unless the message is heard. Buy your beer at a pub or from an independent brewer. Dont put more money into the pockets of multi national breweries. Make your own choice but understand why the change is happening…Heres the post, see what you think….
“Our little pub couldn’t, physically, be much busier.
Many well meaning people, offer us advise, but with no real understanding of the situation. They see a busy pub and think that we are rolling in it.
So, a succinct breakdown for you:
We used to make about 84p a pint, in 2009. Now it’s around 12p.
The combined energy bill has risen (again precovid) from
£600 a month to £2800.
The amount we need to cover what it costs, just to open the pub door, has increased by about 29%, since pre Covid.
So, to cover the shortfall, as such, we increase the selling price (to you guys) and we have to cut back on other areas. Like staff – cut out chef / cleaner – and absorb that work ourselves.
And then… there’s the VAT.
The supermarkets, and in fact, any place that wasn’t a pub – known as ‘Off Trade’ – went from selling 35% of UK alcohol sales (pre covid) to a mind boggling 75%!!!
We pay 20% VAT. Supermarkets pay 2% VAT.
That’s 75% of alcohol consumed at home. It’s totally understandable.
Everyone is proper feeling it now, they can’t afford to nip down the pub as much as before. But it’s not social, drinking alone.. and it’s not ideal.
Inevitably, the pubs are struggling to pay the operating costs. It’s usually the energy bill that sends them ‘bust’ or the VAT.
Now, knowing what you know …You’ll understand how angry we are, when we hear a friends once thriving pub, has closed, due to bankruptcy, and it’s usually unpaid VAT that does it.
I hope this offers you some clarity as to why all the pubs are closing – two a week currently. And no amount of ‘hard work’ is going to address this, or put more disposable cash in your pocket.
And it’s not just pubs. This analysis applies to the majority of the UK’s independent business owners.
Only the government can do this.”
If it was a going concern why would it close down on the basis of a future planning application?