A GRADE II listed pub in Wem has been officially auctioned off for £92,000.

Despite initially being listed with a guide price of £50,000, the White Horse garnered significant interest and fetched more than £40,000 over the anticipated price.

The online auction was held by auctioneers Bond Wolfe.

The building, which was said to be Wem’s premier coaching inn in the 18th century, has been empty for the past 15 years.

It was built of brick with the remains of an earlier timber structure within it, including reused 17th-century “crucks” or curved roof frames some of which can be seen on the second-floor landing.

The inn was extensively remodelled in Victorian times and continued in use as a hotel and pub until its closure in 2007 and it has been empty since then.

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Just hours after the sale, North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan called on the new owners to bring the space back into use.

She had previously joined the collective efforts urging for the resolution of the dilapidated building which is situated on the High Street, and had written a letter to Wem Town Council, expressing her backing for the development proposals aimed at revitalising the building and reintegrating it into practical use.

She said: “I entirely share the frustration that local residents and Wem Town Council have with the lack of action over the White Horse, and have written to offer my support for developing plans to bring the space back into use.

“Economic growth in rural areas can be tricky to generate, despite how hard local people and businesses work.

“For Wem, sorting out the White Horse would do an enormous amount to improve the High Street and get the local economy moving.”

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The pub had previously been snapped up in an online auction in October 2022 when it had a guide price of £75,000, however it ended up back on the market soon after.

Ahead of Thursday's auction, Ron Darlington, consultant director at Bond Wolfe, admitted the low guide price reflected the amount of work needed to restore it, but added that the potential is unlimited.

“The guide price reflects the need for extensive repair and refurbishment work throughout.

“This large and historic three-storey property could be brought back into use as a pub or hotel, but there is also the potential for a number of alternative uses – including residential development – subject to obtaining the necessary planning consents.”