Village pubs are latest to close

Two village pubs near Wolverhampton have become the latest to fall victim to the growing demise of the local.

Butlers Bar and Bistro in Codsall, which opened after a grand refurbishment of the former Crown pub last June, has shut its doors less than a year after it started trading.

And the Hollybush pub in Trysull has met the same fate. Dwindling numbers of customers, rising beer prices and a lack of passing trade have been blamed for the closure of the rural Ebstree Road pub.

But the reasons behind the demise of Butlers remain a mystery.

Customers have been left baffled by the shock closure of the bistro in Wood Lane, which shut its doors around a fortnight ago without explanation.

And drinkers who turned up for a pint at the Hollybush last week were surprised to discover the pub had been locked.

Thousands of pounds had been pumped into turning the rundown Crown pub into posh wine bar Butlers.

The pub had had a reputation for being down-market and attracting trouble-makers to the village.

But all that changed when Butlers opened and offered light food for ladies who lunched, in plush brasserie-style surroundings.

Codsall Councillor Pat Campbell said the bistro had been a welcome addition to the village and residents were surprised to see it had closed so swiftly.

"Nobody seems to know why it has closed," she said.

"I hadn't even realised it had shut at first because it all happened so quickly.

"It is a shame because it really did set the right tone for Codsall and everybody I know who went there said it was very good."

The Hollybush was forced to close after a drop in trade caused by dwindling customers.

The pub has been locked up and tables have been removed from the inside.