Two pubs ring last orders for the final time

4:30pm Thursday 7th August 2008

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TWO Pershore pubs have closed in the past fortnight adding to the growing list being forced to call time all over the country.

Residents who enjoyed a drink at the Plough in the town’s High Street and the Plum Tree in St Andrew’s Road are now looking elsewhere for a pint, after the two pubs closed within days of each other.

The Plough was taken over by licensee Fiona Crawford in May after being closed for about 16 months following a fire.

Mrs Crawford issued a rallying call when opening saying that if people didn’t use the pub they would lose it.

Unfortunately, this warning wasn’t heeded and despite holding quiz nights and music evenings to try to drum up trade, not enough drinkers were coming through the door.

However, more than 100 people did visit the Plough on Friday evening when the beer was £1 a pint, to use up the remaining drink before the pub closed for good.

Mike Stevens, chairman of the Worcestershire Licensed Victuallers’ Association (LVA) was not surprised by news of the closures.

“It is sad news but unfortunately this is not an isolated incident and is part of a national trend,” he said.

“Pubs are closing all over the country and there isn’t one simple answer as to why.

“The smoking ban is not completely to blame but I believe it speeded up the current trend of pubs closing.

“Without the ban, pubs would still be closing just not as quickly as we are seeing.

“There are too many pubs chasing too few customers and it is now very expensive to have a night out at the pub.

“This is not because of the landlord but the cost of running a business and factors such as the customs and excise duty.”

In December 2006, one man was taken to hospital suffering from burns and a family of three fled a blaze at the Plough. More than 100 people had to cancel their Christmas dinner after the fire broke out in the early hours of Christmas Day.