A LONG-SERVING Weston Rhyn landlord who is calling it a day after 24 years in the same pub says he is hopeful someone will step in to carry on his work.

Dave McCarthy, 64, will close the doors on the Plough Inn, in Station Road, on Saturday to retirem and with no-one lined up to take over, the pub is set to shut.

Dave admitted he will be staying on site in his retirement – unless the property is sold – and that the decline in pubs in the village can be attributed to Covid-19 and the cost-of-living crisis.

He said: “I officially close the doors for the last time on Saturday and no-one is coming to replace me as I own the property.

“It’s been on the market for two years and in that time, we’ve had three enquiries and none of them have been followed up.

“That’s probably a follow-on from Covid and the current economic climate that we all face ourselves in.

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“I’m 64 and I’ve been doing this job for 24 years, which I believe is the second-longest serving in the Oswestry area.

“There used to be three pubs in this area when I started and now there’s only one, and I’m only closing because of a lack of trade.

“If I was packed out each night then I would have gone on a little longer but when you’re making every £3.50 an hour – including the hours outside of the business – there’s not many people who’d get out of bed for that.

“We used to do food, many years ago, when my mum was still alive and she was a brilliant cook with good homecooked food.

“We tried renting the kitchen out a few times but to no avail and I’ve had people ask why I don’t lease the property out and maintain the ownership.

“But the biggest problem with that is whatever I would get in would have to be paid out in rent elsewhere and if in six months, whoever was doing it packed up and left, then I’d be coming back here again.

“I believe I have explored every avenue to keep this pub open – others might not, but I believe so.”

Dave added that he will be taking a month off straight after retirement and insisted village pubs face a difficult future while people choose to drink at home to reduce costs.

He said: “Unless you do food, pubs are a dying entity.

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“In terms of relaxation plans for retirement, I’ll have to ask the wife what she’s got for me but we’re going to take a month off to take stock.

“Nobody knows what the future holds and I can’t not turn around and say I will open again, depending on how things go.

“I may even be forced to open again and if so, one would hope the community would support me again.”