Staff and regulars left stunned as time is called on local pub PUB regulars were left high and dry after time was suddenly called on their favourite watering-hole.

Disappointed drinkers at the Duke of Wellington pub on St John's Road, Chew Moor, had to take their custom elsewhere after the hostelry failed to open on Thursday.

It came after the Nottingham-based Stonerealm Inns Limited, who leased the building from Allied Domecq, ceased trading last week.

Yesterday the pub's manageress Carole Pollitt said she was shocked when two Stonerealm employees visited her on Thursday morning to say that the pub would not be opening for business.

Mum-of-two Carole, aged 38, said: "I was stunned and very angry. Basically the first thing I wondered was whether I was going to be out of a job."

Carole has been based at the local for the past two-and-a-half years after Stonerealm Inns Ltd took on a 10-year lease from Tetleys.

Last night, an Allied Domecq spokesman stressed that it was hoped the pub would be open for business again later in the week. He said: "We are experiencing problems with the tenancy company.

"The pub is closed but we're working very closely with Stonerealm Inns to get the matter resolved.

"It's our intention to try to get the pub opened again this week.

"Given the problems we're having, it's true to say that we're certainly considering alternative tenants."

The BEN was unable to contact Stonerealm Inns Limited for a comment.

But insolvency practitioner Keith Blades, who is based in Nottingham, confirmed the company had ceased trading last Thursday.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.