A well-loved pub has closed with immediate effect until new landlords are brought in.

The team running the Chetham Arms on High Street, Turton made the announcement yesterday, Thursday, and thanks their staff and customers for their support.

Unfortunately for the pub, lockdown and its aftermath proved to be a huge challenge for them, just has it has been for venues all over the country.

Outgoing landlord Adam Smethurst said: “We’d just like to thank everybody in the community for their support.

“We’ve got a lot to be thankful for because we’ve met some great people, made some really good friends and made some great memories.”

Turning to the future, he added: “Obviously its important that people support pubs, especially community pubs.”

The Chetham Arms first announced on social media that the pub would be closed on April 20 and 21 earlier this week.

On Thursday evening, another announcement was made that the pub would remain shut for the time being until a new landlord was found.

A statement said: “We want to thank all our staff, past and present for all their hard work and support over the last nine years.

“We have had some fantastic times and we will take some great memories with us which will make us smile for years to come.

“As we hand over our lovely pub, we wish the new owners every success and I’m sure they will do Chetham proud.

“In the meantime, please support all the wonderful local pubs and restaurants as I’m sure you’re all aware, it is a very difficult time for everyone.”

The outgoing Chetham Arms staff say that they are working through their current list of bookings and will work to ensure that alternatives are arranged.

They have apologised for any inconvenience this may have caused and hope that regular customers will go on using the venue to host regular events.

The pub will now remain closed until the new landlords are brought in by the brewery, which Mr Smethurst says will be “relatively soon”, but an exact date has not yet been set.