A VILLAGE pub in Wrexham has shut its doors amid "very difficult" times due to the cost of living crisis.

Joules Brewery confirmed the White Horse in Overton closed on Monday (February, 5) and will remain closed until a landlord has been found. 

The pub, which has been on the market for some time, shut its doors after temporary landlord Mick Burton decided to return to his pub in Oswestry. 

As a result, the High Street pub will remain shut until the pub is sold or a new landlord is found. 

Joules stated that the current costs of running village pubs, along with customers not going out as much due to financial pressures mean it is "not viable to keep going". 

Rachel Hackett, operations manager, said: "We have been looking for a new permanent landlord for over a year, I am incredibly grateful to our long-standing friend Mick Burton who has kept the pub ticking over for these last six months, sadly he has had to go back to his own pub, The Fox in Oswestry to manage that. 

"These are very difficult trading times indeed for village pubs. The increase in costs which pubs have had to wrestle with have made most of the smaller lower turnover pubs unviable. 

"The costs of utilities is the main factor, but we also have increases in the minimum wage and increases from suppliers, both food supplies but also beer supplies, where brewers have themselves been hit with rising utilities costs.

"In turn our customers are also going out less often as they also have to meet the same costs of living increases, in a small village when pubs depend on just local trade it’s just not viable to keep going.

"The costs are much harder to manage for small pubs where the costs of opening the pub are a much higher proportion of the sales, it is really hard to see how pubs in small villages will be able to make a pub work. The White Horse is another one of many which has had to close the doors for the time being at least."

There still remains hope that the pub can reopen soon, with Matthew Phillips Surveyors charged with finding a buyer for the property. 

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Rachel added: "Some time ago, the brewery announced the White Horse was for sale and it has been on the market with Matthew Phillips Surveyors who are seeking to let or sell the pub, either tied or free of tie. 

"The brewery is keen to speak to any interested parties, for pub or alternative use.  If there is interest for pub use then finance is also available to assist any purchaser subject to a satisfactory deposit."

All enquiries should be made to matt@matthewphillipssurveyors.co.uk.