14 hours ago
'We're not getting enough people through the door': Village pub closes
A village pub has closed less than a year after being taken under new management.
Ben's at The Legion in Blackrod posted on social media that it had closed with "immediate effect" this week.
The former Heroes of Blackrod, on Manchester Road, was taken over by husband and wife Ben and Nikki Haydock in October 2024.
The post states: "It's with great regret that we have to announce that Bens at The Legion has closed permanently with immediate effect.
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"We've ploughed a ridiculous amount of time, effort and money into the venue but unfortunately, we're just not getting enough people through the door for the business to be viable.
(Image: Ben Haydock) "We would like to say a huge thank you to all our staff for their hard work and dedication and also express my gratitude to all of our customers for your support during our brief stay.
"If you got a taste for our ale you're more than welcome to visit us at Ben's Tap & Bottle Shop where we also have a great selection of craft cans and even more on our website
(Image: Ben's Brewery) "To be frank it doesn't feel great to be yet another of the growing numbers of pubs closing but we'll dust ourselves down and crack on.
"Thank you for some good memories Blackrod and all the best for the future."
The building was formerly the Blackrod Royal British Legion Club before closing its doors in August 2012.
The family's microbrewery, Ben's Tap and Bottle Shop, remains open in Chorley town centre.
The Bolton News attempted to contact the pub's management, but they had no further comment to make.
In 2024, close to 300 pubs closed down across England and Wales — a rate of around six per week — according to the latest figures from the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA).
The association, which represents more than 20,000 establishments, revealed that 289 pubs shut over the past year, leading to the loss of over 4,500 jobs.
