A LEEDS MP has written to pub bosses in a bid to keep a much-loved local watering hole out of the hands of developers.
Greg Mulholland, MP for Leeds North West, has written to the Spirit Pub Company in protest over the firm’s plans to sell the Eyrie public house in Holt Park as a ‘development opportunity’ rather than a community pub.
The MP, who is also chair of the All Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group has also called on Leeds City Council to reject any planning applications for the pub, which closed earlier this year.
Mr Mulholland said: “The pub being sold as a development opportunity inevitably means that the asking price will be more than the pub is worth, which would mean that even if a viable pub bid was submitted, it would not be accepted.
“The pub should be sold for its current use which is as a community pub.”
Local residents have also joined the calls to save The Eyrie, which has been a pub for almost 30 years.
Chair of the Holt Park Residents Association Alan Mann added: “The Eyrie Public House has been the hub within Holt Park for nearly thirty years, and the sudden closure has torn a hole in the fabric of the community. For some people it is their only social contact. What are they going to do now, sit and stare at four walls at home? It’s a real shame The Eyrie Public House has closed.”
Last year the YEP reported that statistics from the Campaign for Real Ale said pubs were shutting down at the rate of 12 a week, or 50 a month.
A Spirit Pub Company spokesperson said the Eyrie was identified as suffering “from a lack of custom over the last few years” as well as significant costs. They added: “It would be morally wrong for us to expect a self employed licensee to take on such an unviable business.”
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