Battle to save Black Country pub

The Fiddlers Arms in Lower Gornal, is due to close in December and NewRiver Retail hopes to turn it into the shop.

The community-loved pub could be replaced with a Co-op, five houses and 17 parking spaces.

The pub was sold by Marston's to NewRiver Retail in late 2013 and has been rented on a lease since.

The lease is due to run out in December and NewRiv er plans to demolish the watering hole. A planning application is due to be submitted in the coming weeks. Regular punters have set up a petition to try to save it but landlord Roy Pickering thinks nothing will change unless more people visit.

Roy said: "It's up to the people of Lower Gornal to visit the pub more so we can show NewRiver Retail that the pub needs to stay. We don't want it knocked down as it'd be a shame.

"I'd hate to see the pub go. I love it here and all we need is a little more TLC and a little more custom."

Dudley councillor and UKIP MEP Bill Etheridge said: "It would be crying shame to lose yet another lovely old building. I urge everyone to get behind this campaign, sign the petition, and above all, drink the beer there."

NewRiver acquired the pub as part of a 202-strong portfolio of pubs. A spokesperson for NewRiver said: "A detailed viability report will be provided as part of the planning application and this shows that the pub has had three tenants in the last six years and experienced a 70 per cent loss in trade over a four-year period.

"It is always regrettable when public houses close, but to be sustainable, pubs are no different from any other business."