Pubs shut by lack of landlords

A string of traditional Black Country pubs will remain shut over Christmas because of a lack of landlords. At least five in Dudley alone have been hit by the shortage.

One in Willenhall stopped serving when the landlord suddenly walked out and another was forced to close by a family row. The Dog and Partridge and Bar 148, formerly The Turks Head, in Brierley Hill High Street are boarded up. The Red Lion and The Grand Junction in Sedgley also remain shut with no-one to run what were popular pubs.

Marston's, which owns The Dog and Partridge and Bar 148, said it had to shut the pubs because of a shortage of licensees.

Another of its pubs, The Bell Hotel in Market Street, Stourbridge, also remains closed. Campaign for Real Ale West Midlands area organiser Steve Thompson said: "It is a great shame that these pubs are sitting empty."

Mr Thompson said the main problems forcing licensees out were supermarkets selling low-priced alcohol and pub companies not allowing tenants to source their beers locally.

Meanwhile, a surprise birthday party booked three months ago at The Long Acres in Dilloways Lane, Willenhall, ended in tears because nobody warned organisers that the bar had ceased trading.

Steve Kelly, a 33-year-old engineer from Cannock, invited 120 friends and paid £900 arranging a buffet, live band and disco and securing the function room to celebrate the 40th birthday of wife Jayne tonight.

Mr Kelly explained: "It was only by chance that a friend spotted it had shut down when he drove past.

"By that time it was far too late to arrange an alternative venue. The landlord had my phone number but made no effort to tell me the pub had closed. It is disgraceful."

Mrs Kelly added: " He spent four months arranging the surprise party and now he has had to break the secret to tell me that it is all off. I am devastated." The Long Acres closed around two weeks ago. The scene is equally bleak at The Woodman in Claverley where landlord Ryan Edge left at short notice last week just months after the pub was refurbished at an estimated cost of £40,000.

The Express & Star tracked down Mr Edge to The Village Hotel in Walsall where he has been working as a chef since before the pub closed. He insisted: "I have returned the deposits of all customers and have apologised to them."

Jo Revill, from Punch Taverns, which leases both pubs, said today:"Unfortunately The Woodman will remain closed over the festive period. Whilst we own the premises we do not operate the pub or employ the staff. We are trying to find a new licensee."

She added: "We will be looking to recruit a new licensee for The Long Acres.

"The reasons the current licensee is leaving are confidential. The pub is not trading at the moment because of an internal family dispute."