A COUNTRY pub has closed after the landlord lost "a sizeable six-figure sum" trying to shore it up.

Patrick Mahony has made the "hard decision" to call time on the 17th Century Nag's Head Tavern, on the A358 at Mattock's Hill, Thornfalcon.

But he plans to continue operating another village pub in the area, which he says is "thriving".

The first many customers knew of the demise of the Nag's Head was a notice on the pub's website before Christmas saying: "Thank you to all our customers over the last three years we have enjoyed your support however we have now had to make the hard decision to close the doors for the last time."

Mr Mahony told the County Gazette: "I had to close for financial reasons. We lost a sizeable six-figure sum.

"It's a country pub in the middle of nowhere and you're reliant on people coming in for food. You don't get drinkers in.

"People are being more careful when they go out and trade wasn't the level it once was."

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Mr Mahony, 60, moved to the area from London after buying the pub as a family venture in August 2015, but things didn't work out. He later bought his other pub, which he says is going from strength to strength.

He added: "It's a thriving village pub, the hub of the community.

"But I didn't have time to run two pubs and was unable to be hands on at the Nag's Head.

"There was no point throwing good money after bad, especially as I had a thriving pub that was shoring up a less successful one for a couple of years."

A number of interested parties have made enquiries about buying the Nag's Head and early discussion are currently taking place with a potential buyer.