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Last orders at landmark pub

Rob Dawson
10/ 9/2008

THE Gothic Pub in Gatley is facing an uncertain future after the owners, Cains brewery, went into administration.

The pub, on Church Road - which was used as a parachute factory during World War Two - is the only Cains pub outside the boundaries of Liverpool.

And it could now face closure if a deal to rescue the stricken brewery can not be agreed.

But Carol Jones, 50, the tenant of three years, said she remained confident the pub would survive.

"It is business as usual for the time being," she said. "People have stopped coming in because they have heard that the brewery has gone into administration, but we are open for business for the foreseeable future. I can’t see it being anything other than a pub."

According to administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Cains group ran into difficulties after the combined impact of the smoking ban and the credit crunch. The company had also run up a huge debt to HM Revenue and Customs that it could not repay.

Stephanie Howell, spokesperson for PricewaterhouseCoopers, allayed fears that The Gothic would be closed.

She said: "We have no plans to sell individual establishments, so as far as the pubs are concerned it will be business as usual.

"We have had a lot of interest in the company already and now it is a case of going through the offers and deciding which one represents the best deal for the creditors and the business.

"So I would advise people to continue to support their local pub."

CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, has already pledged to support the new owner of the company in a bid to keep the historic brewery in production.

Mike Benner, Chief Executive of CAMRA, said: "Beer drinkers should not lose out because of the credit crunch and we will support any company that puts forward a rescue plan for the ailing brewer to ensure great beer continues to be brewed at the Stanhope Street Brewery.

"We hope that the Cains stand at the Great British Beer Festival won’t be the ‘last stand’ for Cains’ beers."