Air Balloon pub: People share their memories of doomed pub

The doors of The Air Balloon will close for the final time at 1700 GMT on New Year's Eve

An iconic landmark pub in Gloucestershire is set to serve its final customers on New Years Eve after being at risk of closure for decades.

The Air Balloon, near Birdlip, is set to be demolished as part of a major road improvement scheme.

A junction next to the pub, known as the Air Balloon roundabout, has become an accident blackspot.

After being at risk of closure for many years, the pub will finally close its doors at 17:00 GMT on Saturday.

People across the country are sad to see the venue go and many have shared memories of the much-loved pub.

Peter and Linda Harmer had their first date at the Air Balloon

Many precious memories were made during the Air Balloon's 220-year history, including first dates and marriage proposals.

Peter and Linda Harmer had their first date at the Air Balloon on 1 April 1966, and married two years later.

Originally from Gloucestershire, Mr and Mrs Harmer moved to Dorset in the late 1970s.

Their son Mark Harmer said his parents were sad to hear the news of the pub closing down, as it was such a special place to them.

"A big part of our family history is the Air Balloon," said Mark Harmer, who visited the pub with his parents for the last time on Boxing Day.

'Extremely sad'

Tanya Hussey, who lives in Birdlip, met her husband at the Air Balloon.

Ms Hussey said: "He actually proposed to me at the Air Balloon over the meat pie machine, which is extremely romantic, but it was very much part of our daily life.

"We've been married 50 years this year. So to see it go on such a a memorable date is extremely sad."

Ted Berryman wrote poems about the county, which he called The Nursery Rhymes of Gloucestershire

Ben Makin's grandfather, Ted Berryman, enjoyed the Air Balloon so much he wrote a poem called "Summer Song."

"He wrote a lot of poems about Gloucestershire, he called them The Nursery Rhymes of Gloucestershire.

'Really gutted'

"It's a little short poem, but a couple of the verses are: 'The swallows come to Ullenwood and go away too soon, before the browning woods are kiss'd by little swirls of autumn mist up by the Air Balloon'."

Mr Makin said his grandfather enjoyed drinking and watching cricket at the Air Balloon.

"So I love to think of him sitting outside drinking a beer, having a chat with folks, and just enjoying the view of the cricket and, when I saw that It was closing, I was really, really gutted."

There have been a number of fatal crashes where the A417 near Gloucester becomes a single lane

Steve Gregory, who now lives in Warwickshire, shared nostalgic memories of his days playing for Ullenwood Cricket club on the opposite side of the road to the pub.

Mr Gregory said the pub had been used as the headquarters for the cricket team and was known as the "watering hole" for the opposition teams.

'Finally happening'

"My mother lived near the pub, so she was always keeping me up to date with the news," said Mr Gregory.

"I always knew it was going to go, but it never seemed it would happen. I guess I was quite surprised to find out it was finally happening."

Lesley Wealdon, from Hampshire, suggested the pub could be rebuilt somewhere else.

"Rather than just demolish it, why not take it down and rebuild it somewhere else?" she said. "It's been done with other buildings, such as our Bailiffs Court Tudor hotel here in Hampshire."

Greene King, who owned the pub, said: "It's clearly a difficult and sad time to see our pub have to close.

"We would like to give one last 'thank you' to all our customers who visited over the years and shared so many happy memories with us.

"The Air Balloon will be knocked down to make way for the building of the A417 Missing Link and could improve road safety in the area, but it's such a momentous place."

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