Landlord of The Pheasant Inn calls time after 29 years

The landlord of the last remaining pub between two Shropshire towns has called time after 29 years following a drop in trade.

The Pheasant Inn, in Linley Brook, between Bridgnorth and Broseley, has been put up for sale with agent Sidney Phillips for £475,000.

Landlord Simon Reed said the 17th century pub had been struggling with the smoking ban, big increases in alcohol duty and due to supermarkets selling cheap alcohol.

The Pheasant became the last remaining pub between the two towns when The Swan at Nordley closed in 2000.

Mr Reed said he was sad to close the pub, which he and his wife Elizabeth took over in May 1983. But he said changing social habits and government legislation made it harder for landlords to make a living.

He said: "We're in a similar position to thousands of other pubs. We've decided to call a halt and we're very grateful to those people who have continued to support us.

"People are no longer connecting with each other by meeting face-to-face."

Astley Abbotts Parish Council clerk Jayne Madeley said the council had been informed of the closure and she would make councillors aware of the situation.

In 2005 Mr Reed applied to the former Bridgnorth District Council for permission to transform the pub into a home but the application was turned down and a subsequent appeal rejected.

The bid caused uproar among nearby residents and the district council was bombarded with letters from about 60 objectors.

At the time Mr Reed claimed only 12 to 14 residents out of a parish population of 400 visited the pub.

The Pheasant has featured in pub guides, including the Camra Good Beer Guide and the AA Pub Guide.

By Lou Robson