Nowhere to drink (From Gazette Series)

Nowhere to drink

VILLAGERS in Uley have hit out after the mysterious closure of their local pub has left them without a place to drink.

The Old Crown Inn, on The Green, stopped trading just before Christmas - much to the dismay of residents who now have to travel to neighbouring villages just to partake in a tipple or two.

In a joint statement to the Gazette, several residents raised concerns about the levels of secrecy surrounding the closure.

They said: "As none has been forthcoming, we wondered if through the rages of our local voice someone could explain the abrupt closure of Uley's last remaining hostelry."

Paul Harris, who lives near the pub, echoed this sentiment. He said this week: "We haven't been given an explanation, a lot of people are quite confused about it."

The village's other pub, The Old King's Head, closed in 2004 and has now been turned into houses, leaving the closest alternative pub in Coaley or Nympsfield where many people would have to drive for a drink.

Locals now fear their pub will be turned into a housing development too.

However, The Old Crown Inn is protected by Local Plan policy, which covers the loss of lone community pubs and shops. Under this, the pub's owners must meet three criteria before its usage as a pub can be changed to residential.

There must be no prospect of continued community use; other alternative facilities must be available and the current use of the business must no longer be viable.

According to Stroud District Council, one way to prove the final category would be to place the pub on the open market. Despite several failed attempts to contact owner Sandra Morgan for confirmation, the Gazette has found no evidence that the pub is currently for sale.

Uley councillor Janet Wood said: "The Old Crown was a wonderful pub, it was well run and somewhere for people to go.

"The pub is essential to the fabric of our village life and it's important that we get it up and running. Anything we can do to encourage it to reopen would be most helpful."