Dry pub still doing roaring trade

A licensee who lost his license when he went bankrupt says he has kept the customers coming through his door by allowing them to bring their own drink.

Paul Whitburn of the White Horse Inn near Salisbury says his regulars have been buying drinks at the shop next door and taking them into the pub to enjoy with their meals.

I have a duty of care to my employees and customers so I could not simply run for the hills.​

Paul Whitburn, licensee of the White Horse.

He told the Salisbury Journal: "I don't think I have ever heard of a perfectly good pub which cannot provide its customers with what they want, but I have no-one to blame but myself.​

"I have entered into a partnership to keep the pub going, however, and we will have to get through this and hope normal business will resume as soon as possible.

"In the meantime, though, the Co-op seems to be doing a roaring trade."

Whitburn has made an application for a new licence but in the meantime he hopes to keep his staff as well as his cutomers.

He said: "I actually got the news about the licence after I returned from my first day off in eight months and, at first, I was devastated.​

"But I realised I have a duty of care to my employees and customers and, as this pub has been here since 1420, I am a custodian of more than 500 years of history, so I could not simply run for the hills.

"I immediately made everyone aware of the situation and am pleased to say the community has really rallied round.

"We had a raffle quiz night where I gave away the alcohol which would have gone to waste, we are still serving meals where people can bring their own drink, and are also serving a range of non-alcoholic cocktails for those who don't want to bring their own."