New plan to revive struggling Ludlow pub

Members of Ludlow Town Centre Residents Association have come up with a seven-point plan to help revive the fortunes of the Blue Boar pub in Mill Street, which has been closed since the end of November.

They have written to Punch Taverns, which owns the pub, and say the chain has agreed to listen to their ideas.

It comes after members of Shropshire Council's Licensing Act sub-committee suspended the pub's licence for another month to allow a new supervisor to be brought in and strict conditions to be imposed.

A spokesman for Punch Taverns today said it was hoped the pub would reopen in the new year.

Police suspended the licence of the venue's designated premises supervisor Alan Ebbon on November 27 and the pub has been shut since.

A report to the sub-committee meeting revealed details of anti-social behaviour at the pub on a number of occasions during October.

They included a serious wounding outside the pub where it was believed a glass from the venue was used as a weapon, and another occasion when a customer was punched and fell backwards, fracturing his skull.

Under the new restrictions the pub's opening hours will be 11am to 11.30pm Monday to Saturday and from noon until 11pm on Sundays. Hours will increase to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays after two months.

Meetings will be called every six months to involve the residents, the town council and the designated premises supervisor.

Roger Pote, chairman of the residents' association,

said:

"We think our plan has been largely accepted in full and the new designated premises supervisor is likely to be someone local, who is very interested in taking it over."

A spokesman for Punch Taverns said:

"We hope to be open and trading in the new year."