A traditional pub in a Nottinghamshire village appears to have pulled its last pint - and real ale campaigners spoke of wider challenges for the hospitality sector and rising energy costs. The Bull's Head is located on Main Street in the Rushcliffe village of East Leake.
Despite it having been described as a "very popular pub", it appears to have closed. And the phone at the pub is ringing out.
Andrew Ludlow, the secretary of the Nottingham branch of the Campaign for Real Ale, said the pub was known for its "unique bit of history". He said: "The Bull's Head is a traditional local pub in the heart of East Leake.
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"It is one of the traditional pubs with a bar and lounge and has a unique bit of history in the original pub sign of the Bull's Head on display in the back of the pub. It was always a very popular pub in the past and I am sure that with the right landlord and landlady it could be very successful again in the future."
CAMRA has been highlighting for months the current problems for publicans, with rising energy bills and other ballooning costs. The Government recently announced measures to support businesses through this time, including a tailored package on energy bills.
But Mr Ludlow said: "Whilst we did have the announcement about the support for industry, which included the hospitality sector, it is for a six month period. Bearing in mind they were already going to experience quite a significant rise in their energy costs anyway because they did not have a cap.
"We have been aware that there have been a few in this situation... One hopes that now we have got the Chancellor's announcement [Friday's mini-budget] that new people will come in and take the pubs on and to make sure the community assets, which a pub is, are retained."
Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng said in the House of Commons during his mini-budget speech on Friday (September 23): "The Government's energy plan will reduce peak inflation by around 5 percentage points. It will reduce the cost of servicing index-linked government debt and lower wider cost of living pressures.
"And it will help millions of people and businesses right across the country with the cost of energy. Let no one doubt: during the worst energy crisis in generations, this Government is on the side of the British people."
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