Bridge closure devastating says pub owner

The bridge in Hunningham, Warwickshire, was closed in early August

The closure of a bridge which was damaged earlier this month has had a devastating impact on trade, the owner of a village pub has said.

The 17th Century bridge in Hunningham, near Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, was hit by farm vehicle in the first week of August and has been shut to traffic since then.

The Red Lion is situated close to the crossing and owner Richard Mérand said he might have to sell his family home if the situation was not resolved soon.

Warwickshire County Council said it had put up signs which said the pub was still open and it was working on repairs.

The authority added pedestrians and cyclists could still access the pub via the bridge.

Mr Mérand said he would not be able to keep going through a lengthy closure and estimated more than three-quarters of his customers used the bridge before it was closed.

“It has been tough. Trade is tough, like every other pub in the country but the last two weeks it has been dead,” he said.

“I will not be able to stay 18 months, running a quarter of my business.

“I will have to make a decision sooner or later - I have a wife and three kids, I have a mortgage.”

He said it could take months to be repaired but the council highways team said they could not confirm a date.

In the meantime, he said he was using social media and newspapers to advertise to remind people the pub was still open.

“I just want to make people know we are here, it is a family business,” Mr Mérand added.

The pub's trade had reduced significantly since the bridge was hit, owner Richard Mérand said

Mark Hancock, who has worked on the gardens at the pub for 25 years, said the closure had caused a lot of frustration.

He said the detour for vehicles was about five miles (eight kilometres) long and used narrow roads.

“It’s having a devastating impact,” he said, “even cyclists have stopped coming.”

“I must admit I quite enjoy the quiet road, having lived on it all my life but it is causing a lot of frustration," he added.

An assessment of the damage was in the "early days" and it was not possible to estimate how long repairs would take, a county council spokesperson said.

They added they were working to carry them out "as soon as we can" and signs remained in place to say the pub was open for business.

“While we are frustrated that we have had to close the bridge - which we only do when absolutely necessary - the safety of the public has to be our primary concern," they said.