MYSTERY today surrounded the whereabouts of a pub landlord after regulars and a group of pensioners were left high and dry when the premises closed.

The Cabin End (pictured), on Windsor Road, Knuzden, has been shut since Sunday, February 13 and regulars are puzzled about the circumstances surrounding the closure.

One customer, who did not want to be named, said: "We've been given no explanation whatsoever. There was no notice on the door to tell us what was going on and it's been closed for over a week now."

A group of pensioners who meet at the club on Thursday afternoons have also been left without a venue.

Former councillor Bill Goldsmith set up the Cabin Enders club with Age Concern five years ago for 40 to 50 pensioners and was outraged to hear the pub had closed.

He said: "In Knuzden, there is nowhere else for the group to meet so we have been left stranded.

"I heard a rumour that the pub might be knocked down and new houses built in its place, which would be a disaster if there was any truth in it.

"The Cabin Enders club provides the only contact these pensioners have with other people, and some of them are in their eighties and nineties.

"They really enjoy getting together to play bingo, dominoes and even have a go at karaoke.

"There used to be a landlord in the Cabin End for many years. After he left, there was one landlord after another in that pub." Bill Dixon, secretary of the Cabin Enders, said: "They never did any cleaning in there over the last week and there was no heating either. The water had been switched off as well but they were still selling beer.

"I don't want to see our club go, but I suppose we'll just have to sit and wait until the pub is reopened."

A spokesman for Hyndburn Council said an environmental health officer had visited the Cabin End and spoken to the licensee. He confirmed that the water had been cut off, but he was unable to confirm whether the landlord had continued trading afterwards.

David Raybold, regional manager at London-based Pennant Inns, which owns the pub, confirmed that Charles Wright had been the landlord at the Cabin End for the past 12 months up until last week.

He said: "The Cabin End will shortly be reopened with a new landlord within the next week to ten days.

"We haven't actually made a decision yet on who is taking it over so it would be wrong to give out any more information."

Sergeant Brian Hopwood, of Accrington Police, said: "I understand the Cabin End was closed down by Pennant Inns because the current licensee was not up to standard and, apparently, he is refusing to leave the premises until the new licensee arrives. The Cabin End is just one of eight or nine pubs which have recently been closed in the Hyndburn area."

The pub was locked up and no-one was there when the Lancashire Evening Telegraph went to try to speak to Mr Wright.

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