'Good luck' message from the 1970s found in pub wall

Items taken from the time capsule discovered in a wall by builders

A pub owner has found a "good luck" message from the 1970s and a time capsule, hidden in the wall of his pub.

The time capsule, which contained old tobacco tins stuffed with coins, tax discs and letters, was found by workers renovating the Duke of Cumberland in Holcombe near Shepton Mallet, Somerset.

Dating back to July 1973, it was left by the landlord at the time Eric Pockson for future pub owners to enjoy.

"It has become a huge talking point," the current owner, Toby Brett, said.

The Duke of Cumberland pub in the 1970s and the present day

During the renovations, most of the internal walls were taken down and the time capsule was found in a wall between the old snug and a corridor to the toilets.

"By the time I got there, the builders had dug it all out. So it just smelt of a builders site and there wasn't like a waft of the 1970s," said Mr Brett, who has owned the pub for 11 years.

Tax discs, stamps and cigarette price lists were found inside

"From what we understand, the landlord at the time was called Eric Pockson. He was a retired army captain before he came back to England and was in Bristol before his final occupation as the landlord at the Duke," Mr Brett added.

A first day cover book of stamps was found, along with lists showing the prices of cigarettes and a note showing Mr Pockson's annual takings were £1,500.

Coins and a note reading 'placed here to the lucky finder'

There were also some halfpenny coins with a note adding "sorry, only ha'pennies left, here in the hope they will give someone a profit at a later date".

A number of the items are to be encased in resin and placed into a display in the floor, with the rest already displayed in the windows.

"There are always people huddled around the windows looking at the findings," said Mr Brett.

Toby Brett has placed some of the items on display in the pub's windows