Bar staff lose jobs in pub's mystery closure

Around 25 workers have lost their jobs after a Black Country pub mysteriously closed within hours of them being told.

Workers at the Mount Pleasant in Kingswinford today said they had been left "in limbo" by the sudden closure.

Marstons Brewery, which operates the pub in Cot Lane, today declined to say what had happened to the previous tenant.

But bosses said they were looking for a new person to take the helm. One worker said that staff had opened the pub as normal a week yesterday.

But he said: "All of a sudden the gas and electricity workers came in to turn everything off and by 4pm we were asked to leave by the brewery.

"People were in a state of shock, there was no warning, it came out of the blue.

"There are people with bills and mortgages to pay. I've had to go down the job centre to try to find some work. We haven't been told anything about the future of the pub."

The man, who did not want to be named, said: "We would like to thank our customers that have made our job very enjoyable and assure them it had nothing to do with the staff."

Marstons spokesman Greg Aris said: "The Mount Pleasant is currently closed. However we're looking to get the pub open again with new licensees as soon as possible as it's a great focal point for people in Dudley." Ward Councillor Patrick Harley said: "I would hope that it would be reopened soon because I'm sure it could be a thriving business.

"I had always thought that place was doing well and I'd been in there for food within the last month.

"It is sad because The Woodman pub, in Mount Pleasant, has also closed and that left the Mount Pleasant one of the main pubs around here."

The Mount Pleasant is one of a number of pubs which have closed in the area in recent months.

The last pint was pulled at The Vine in Camp Hill, Wordsley, in October.

It was known as Mad O'Rourkes pie factory until it folded last July, and reverted to its former name. The Oakfield Tavern, in Wordsley, was also recently demolished.