THE landlady of a pub near Wem has said she is "sad but not sorry" to be closing the family-run pub.

Dawn Davies has the Horse and Jockey in Ellesmere Road in Northwood with her husband, Derren, and her daughters Taylor and Kaitlin since November 2020.

The pub was becoming extremely expensive to run and Dawn said it would have affected retirement life.

Dawn said: "It is sad that we could not make it pay, very unfortunate really.

"But, for us as a family I certainly won't be sorry to see go because, if we had kept on going, it just would have destroyed our retirement life because we would have just put all our money into it.

"It was just swallowing money month after month."

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Like many businesses, Dawn and her family were affected by energy bills and other costs.

Dawn explained: "We just at the moment pay £1,000 a month and they haven't gone up yet.

"That is obviously going to be a massive hit. We buy food with no VAT and when we sell it, you've got to pay 20 percent VAT for every single meal we sell."

The oncoming winter and even higher energy bills influenced the decision.

Dawn said: "Obviously, it is not cheap to keep the place warm. We have always got the fire lit, whenever people come in during the winter.

"Most definitely another key to giving it up really."

The pub was important for people as a social place and Taylor said many different nights were held there including live music.

She explained: "We have done live music, bingo, quizzes.

"People have said to us since we took it over, nearly two years ago, that it has got a vibe in it, that it has never had in it before.

"People say they come into see mum and dad and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming, that is what a pub needs."

Dawn and Taylor hope that other pubs and continue despite them closing.

Dawn said: "It is very sad but my only hope is, for every single pub like ours, it gives the others the chance to keep going.

"That it makes them busier, I really do hope for that that they can keep going."

Taylor added: "I feel sorry for the community more than anything really because they are losing their pub again.

"So, that's the more sad thing for them."