economy

‘Now the village is dead. It’s awful’: why was one of Britain’s best pubs forced to close?

For 400 years, The Hare and Hounds in Bowland Bridge offered a warm welcome to locals and travellers. Then the rent doubled. With two pubs a day closing in England and Wales, can the community save this 17th-century gem?

‘Now the village is dead. It’s awful’: why was one of Britain’s best pubs forced to close?

TL;DR

  • The Hare and Hounds pub in Bowland Bridge has operated for 400 years.
  • The pub's rent has doubled, threatening its closure.
  • England and Wales are seeing an average of two pub closures per day.
  • There is a question of whether the community can save the 17th-century pub.