The landlady of a village pub treated regulars to a cut-price farewell party after claiming she was being forced out.

The White Hart Inn, in Nayland Road, West Bergholt, closed in style as staff and regulars enjoyed free food and low-cost beverages.

Andrea Dowd, who took over the pub in September, made the parting gesture after failing to negotiate a deal with pub owner Punch Taverns.

She said: “Obviously, all the stock is mine, so we will make sure we deplete it all as much as we can.

“We asked Punch for a reasonable rent and rate on its beers.

“We have increased trade by 40 per cent in a few months, but after a fewmeetings it is refusing to give us the rent we need.

“We need zero rent to actually make a profit, but it is refusing to negotiate with us.

“I was prepared to stay until January, but it would not give me any security and stated another partner might be put in place at short notice.”

Andrea, who has more than 20 years’ of experience as a publican, feels the pub’s owners have ruined villagers’ festive plans.

Customers who had booked Christmas and New Year parties at the pub now face being left in the lurch with the pub’s long-term future uncertain.

Andrea said: “All our customers are up in arms and feel this is a lost chance to have a community pub.

“Now everyone is cancelling Christmas parties and the village has lost its pub.

“This was just beginning to be the heart of the community again and we had people coming in who hadn’t visited the pub for years.”

A Punch Taverns spokesman said: “We are in dialogue with the current tenants and, therefore, until discussions are concluded, we are unable to give further comment.”