Future of TV pub in doubt

A pub that rose to prominence when it was taken on as part of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Foundation is back on the market.

The Cock Inn at Beazley End in Essex is on the market with Taylors Countrywide in Braintree for £700,000 and could end up becoming either a care home or residential property.

After serving the area for years as a pub it was taken on by Aaron Craze and his partner Nicci who won the chance to run the pub after competing against 13 other Fifteen graduates in the Channel 4 programme Jamie's Chef in February 2007.

But just a year later it was forced to close after running into financial problems. It was taken on by the current owner who reverted back to running is as a more traditional pub.

However it is understood that the Cock has continued to struggle for business and is now being advertised as "a public house offering a fantastic opportunity to convert into a six bedroom plus family home".

Jamie Fisher, of Taylors Countrywide, said: "It is a big property and would make a fantastic home but there are only 20 to 25 properties in the village so it struggled as a top end restaurant and then as a pub.

"There are options to look at for change of use such as a care home or some other sort of business."

The pub also features one acre of land, exposed beams, open fireplaces, a conservatory, main bar, restaurant and residential accommodation on the first floor.