Middleton pub-goers re-assured over threat to close hotels

Customers feared for the future of The Beresford Hotel and The Elmer Hotel, which are just a short distance apart in Elmer Road.

The pub trade nationally is reported to be in crisis with pubs closing because of fierce cut-prize booze competition from supermarkets and the

18-month-old smoking ban said to be decimating takings.

But the hostelries' owners say they have no plans to close either The Beresford or The Elmer.

The Beresford has been shut for the past few weeks after its previous licensee left. Owner Scottish and Newcastle Pub Enterprises says it will re-open as soon as possible.

A spokeswoman said: "This pub is an excellent business and trades well and has only been closed for a few weeks while a new tenant is found.

"We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused by the pub's

temporary closure and we hope to open it again soon.

"Scottish and Newcastle Pub Enterprise has already received some interest but would encourage anyone else interested in running this pub to go to the website www.pub-enterprises.co.uk for more information."

Meanwhile, The Elmer's licensee is due to leave in about a month. This sparked worries among customers that the departure could be the signal for its owner, Fuller's, to close it. But a spokeswoman said that would not be the case.

"There will be new tenants going in to The Elmer," she stated. "We have no plans whatsoever to close the pub or sell it or anything like that.

"There is sometimes confusion when tenants leave about the future of pubs, that something is going to happen to them, but that is not the

case here."

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