Rural pub closes as owners detail 'incredibly challenging' months with rising costs

The owners of The White Horse Inn in Pulverbatch, nine miles south of Shrewsbury, announced that they have taken the decision to shut the business.

The pub had closed to customers on Tuesday, January 3, for its annual two-week shutdown, and was expected to reopen again on January 19. However, the owners have confirmed it will not open again.

In a statement, the owners said the decision was made "with great disappointment".

"As for most businesses, the last few months have been incredibly challenging with huge increases in food and drink costs and, most significantly, for gas and electricity," the statement said.

"We have a couple of upcoming events that we will be honouring and after that, B&B on a room-only basis will continue, as well as functions that may be possible by arrangement.

"We'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of our locals and regulars for their support both while trading and more recently while making this difficult decision."

The pub has been run by husband-and-wife team Steve and Vikki Nash since 2012, when three B&B rooms were introduced.

Mrs Nash told the Shropshire Star: "We worked hard to bring back a real community hub with a new dominoes team, village meals with often over 100 attending, a book club and children’s events at Easter, Christmas etc, and the B&B has worked well."

Explaining the decision to close, Mrs Nash said: "The current economic climate needs no explanation. Less disposable income alongside rocketing costs have brought us to this point," adding that food and drink costs, the return of VAT after the pandemic and spiralling utility bills have all contributed to the decision.

"Small, relatively quiet rural pubs are just not sustainable unless they are to run at a loss," she continued. "The pub is well known through the county and not just to the ‘locals’ and will be very sorely missed."

Since the announcement there have been suggestions of the pub being taken on as a community project. However, no long term decisions have been made on the future of The White Horse Inn, and anyone interested in buying or renting the property is asked to get in touch at victoria.nash@btinternet.com