It's closing time in the community
A pair of Preston pubs could be lost to the city forever, as the owners have put them on the market.
The Avenham Park in Avenham Lane and the Red Rose in St Paul's Square could now end up either converted into homes or put to some other new purpose.
This follows news last month that, on average, Preston loses 12 pubs a year.
London-based property agent Paramount Investments said they expect the pubs to sell relatively quickly, but said it was unlikely they would go to licensees wanting to re-open the bars.
Managing director of the firm Mark Greig, said: "If no-one from the hospitality industry steps forward to buy these pubs, they could cease to be pubs at all."
He said the smoking ban and difficult trading conditions meant the whole of the licensing trade was under strain.
The Avenham Park closed its doors several years ago but its future was uncertain.
Other community pubs in the area, including the neighbouring Frenchwood, have also closed.
Coun Michael Lavalette, who represents the Town Centre ward, said the closures were a major contributing factor to the violence that takes place in the city centre at weekends.
He said: "I think there is a real social problem that develops from this.
"Go back 10 or 20 years and people would start the night in their local, maybe go into town for a few, then end up back in their local for last orders. They would drink in the same pub as their dad, their next door neighbours, and if people got a bit rowdy there was family and social pressure to calm it down.
"You close these community pubs and force people into the town centre, you get these large drinking dens, you ply people with drink, they come out, there's no buses or taxis and all hell breaks loose on Church Street."
New figures released by the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) today revealed the current pub closure rate is seven times faster than in 2006 and 14 times faster than in 2005.
Lee Le Clerq, spokesman for the BBPA, said: "Closures at this rate are threatening an important hub of our social fabric and community history.
"What we need to stop the decline is support from Government and the public."
The Avenham Park is on the market at 175,000 and the Red Rose is up for sale at 199,000.
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Weather for Wigan
Thursday 09 February 2012
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