AN ALCESTER pub at the heart of its community closed suddenly this week.
A notice went up outside the Holly Bush on Henley Street on Monday (October 6) but the reason for the closure has not yet been confirmed.
On the note, owner Tracey Deffley said she wished to thank all her loyal customers over the last 16 years, especially her close friends and family.
“My very best wishes to the people of Alcester. We have shared some wonderful times together and I am sure that, through good will, there will be many, many more.”
Sam Rath, chairman of the Alcester Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said it was a ‘blow to the town’.
“It was one of the focal meeting points in the town, nearly all organisations in Alcester have used it at some stage to hold meetings.
“That facility will be lost until someone either takes it over or it reopens.”
As well as hosting meetings of many groups from the town itself including the Food Festival and St Nicholas Night committees, the Holly Bush had also regularly featured in the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Good Pub Guide and had also been named as one of their branch pub of the year winners for the region.