Church offers plots to great pub in sky

Drinkers who hate leaving their local pub after last orders can now stay forever ­ at a boozer with its very own graveyard. Landlord Julian Taylor, 37, has turned a patch of land at the Church Inn in Uppermill, Saddleworth, Greater Manchester, into a cemetery. And regulars have started ordering plots faster than they order pints of bitter and meat pies at the bar. Taylor said: "It's a beautiful spot to be buried and a few customers have already picked out their own patch." Taylor, who bought the pub 11 years ago, got the idea for a cemetery from his father Michael, who said he would one day like to be buried at the site. The cemetery, which was given the go-ahead by the Oldham Council, has space for 2,000 plots for four people each, meaning it can accommodate 8,000 bodies. Nobody will be able to move people's graves from the pub's cemetery without permission because families will own, rather than lease, the plots. Taylor added: "We've already sold about 15 plots [£1,000 each]. A 28-year-old lad has even bought three ­ one for himself and two to sell on because he thinks land will be at such a premium in a few years.