THE Brewers Arms, West Malvern's last remaining pub, will close for an indefinite period from next Friday, April 15. It will be a case not so much of The Pub With No Beer, as The Village with No Pub – something that would have been unthinkable not so long ago.

Needless to say, the village community is not taking this situation lying down. The Parish Council have called an open meeting at the Village Hall at 7.30pm next Thursday April 14 - the very evening when present tenants Shane and Karen close the doors for the last time.

The meeting will seek to establish whether there is a will among residents to retain the Brewers Arms, and to assess possible support for a possible community buyout of the pub. Given a positive response at that meeting – and assuming no new tenant has been found by Admiral Taverns before then – moves would go ahead to achieve that aim. Speakers will include local resident and CAMRA officer Mark Haslam, who has been closely involved with similar successful ventures elsewhere in the country.

Although the time-scale means that at least a temporary closure of the pub is unavoidable, there are good grounds for hope that it may be saved in the longer term. A group of far-sighted residents last year ensured that it was registered as a Community Asset, protecting the property from sale for housing or other development. And a new Pub Code part of the Business Enterprise & Employment Act 2015, will become effective on May 26. Among other things, this could mitigate the effects of the 'tie' which obliges tenants to purchase beer and other stock at enhanced prices from the pub company and which has been an important factor in determining the viability of smaller pubs in recent times.

It will be surprising if local residents do not turn out in force on Thursday to show their support for the continued survival of our pub. West Malvern has an impressive record in opposing undesirable developments in the village. The prospect permanent loss of the Brewers – not just a watering-hole, but a key gathering place for many sections of the community – will surely result in strong united action.

COLIN JACKSON