Century-old music pub to close after one last party

The pub hosted bands in the early 2000s, including Kings of Leon (above), Coldplay and Snow Patrol

A century-old pub which hosted the band Kings Of Leon for their first UK gig is due to call its final last orders.

The White Horse in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, is set to close on 30 December.

It acted as a venue for bands in the early 2000s, including Coldplay, Snow Patrol and 70s punk band The Damned.

Alistair Watt, who has worked at the pub since 2001, said: "It’s heartbreaking, I am very sad... but the wheel of time turns on."

The decision comes after Buckinghamshire Council received a planning application in February to knock the building down and build eight two-bedroom flats.

The application was refused by the council who said the building would be “out of character” with the surrounding area.

Despite the refusal the pub still decided to close and announced the news on social media.

They said: "After many years of business, this year will be our last. We have two months left to make the most of the time we have left,"

However, the pub is not closing without a large celebration as Mr Watts has announced it will host a Christmas Party on Friday 22 December before its closure a week later.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the remaining stock would not go to waste.

"The idea is to drink everything in the pub," he said.

The White Horse pub has been around for 100 years

Mr Watts, 78, ran a strippergram agency in the 1980s and said the bands playing there would share the dressing rooms with strippers and dancers.

"Running a pub is desperately hard work these days. The industry is on its knees. I don’t miss paying the energy bills," he said.

“It’s been really good fun. The laughter is beyond value."