Lord Nelson pub to close as Admiral Taverns decide to sell venue

The Lord Nelson, on Manchester Road, is set to close its doors on October 2. After that, its future is uncertain as Admiral Taverns has decided to sell the venue.

Landlady, Samantha Barrett, has been at the helm of the pub since May. She said it is “a real shame” that the venue is set to close.

Samantha said: “The brewery is closing the pub. It’s sad and a real shame.

“I knew when I was taking over that the brewery was planning on selling the building so this didn’t come as a shock. I was hoping to stay until at least next year though.

“When I took over it wasn’t very busy but trade has recently started to pick up and more customers have been coming in.”

Samantha said some customers aren’t happy about the decision. Some have been signing 'a memory board' at the pub.

Customers at the Lord Nelson have been signing a memory board at the pub (Image: Samantha Barrett)

She said: “Customers aren’t happy. People on Facebook are saying it’s a shame that it’s closing.

“I grew up in Nelson so I know the customers. My dad was a local here.

“Some of my family members got married upstairs, when that area was used as an events venue. It’s always been my local so when I am kind of glad that it is me that will be seeing it out.”

A leaving party will be held on Sunday, September 29, with a buffet, DJ and card bingo. Former pub managers have also been invited.

Samantha said: “We have a DJ coming in and will be playing card bingo. We will be saying goodbye to the pub. Former landlords have been invited to come and say goodbye. We will put a buffet on and give it a good send-off.”

After leaving, Samantha has a holiday booked and will then be looking for other pub ventures.

Admiral Taverns said the pub “did not have a long-term sustainable future”, which prompted its decision to sell it.

A spokesperson said: “We are strong believers in the importance of community pubs and our focus is always on helping our operators to run sustainable pub businesses.

“After careful consideration we felt in this instance that the Lord Nelson did not have a long-term sustainable future and we've therefore taken the decision to sell the pub."

There is a lot of history behind the pub, which dates back to the early 1800s. Historian Roger Frost says Nelson itself was named after the pub and not naval hero, admiral Horatio Nelson.

According to the Lancashire Council website, the original Lord Nelson Inn was built in 1805.

This original building was demolished in 1895 and the Lord Nelson Hotel was constructed to replace the old building.

In 1988, the Lord Nelson was renovated and much of the character was removed, including the old staircase and the Victorian bar.