ONE of the last remaining pubs on the so-called ‘Daubhill Mile’ will not be opening its doors even when restrictions ease.

Landlady Margaret Wilson ran The Oddfellows Arms for 15 years, earning a loyal following at the St Helen’s Road hostelry.

Admiral Taverns, which owns the building, has taken the decision to close the site.

Margaret now has to find an alternative place to live before the property is sold.

She said: “I had an inkling that they would close the pub as there are lots of maintenance issues which need to be fixed. I’ve been here for 15 years and I had a good regular clientele who have become friends.

“Since March last year we’ve only been open for five weeks, it’s been very hard.

“I was looking forward to reopening again but that’s not going to happen unfortunately. I can’t afford to buy the building myself, and at 67 I don’t think I will work at another pub.

“We were one of the last pubs open on the Daubhill Mile, there used to be many more but they have all closed. I have so many happy memories working here, it’s a really sad time knowing we have to close.

“I was gutted when I found out it would be closing.”

Tony Rearden, a regular, said: “It was a place where you could go and relax with your friends and have a good time. Landlords and ladies have come and gone but the place retained its character.

“The customers always have a special bond with whoever was in charge. It’s dreadful the old place is going, a real sad loss to the area, it was referred to as ‘the last bastion of the Daubhill Mile’.

“It wasn’t so long ago you could do the Daubhill Mile and visit 10 to 15 pubs without needing a taxi or go into town. It’s so sad and I wish Margaret the best.”

Margaret’s grandson Alex Davies, 21, who worked behind the bar, added: “I’m gutted it’s closing, my grandma worked hard to keep it going and we’re all going to miss it. I wanted to show my boyfriend the pub but now I’ll ever be able to do that.”

A spokesman for Admiral Taverns said: "Our focus is always on helping our licensees to run sustainable pub businesses. However, after careful consideration we felt in this instance that the Oddfellows Arms did not have a long-term sustainable future and have taken the decision to put the property on the market."