THE FORMER landlady of an Eynesbury pub and her son have pleaded for the Merry Boys pub, which was once a thriving community watering-hole, to be saved from demolition.

THE FORMER landlady of an Eynesbury pub and her son have pleaded for the Merry Boys pub, which was a once thriving community watering-hole, to be saved from demolition.

Vera Pindred, of Hardwick Road, Eynesbury, was landlord of the pub in Berkley Street for 18 years with her late husband, Ken.

Mrs Pindred contacted The Hunts Post this week expressing concern after reading news that a planning application had been submitted to demolish the pub to make way for housing.

The 85-year-old said: “It is really sad. We had some wonderful times there. It is terrible that it could be knocked down.”

The Pindreds left the pub 24 years ago to retire and said at the time it had been successful and popular.

She added: “We wouldn’t have stayed for so long had it not been successful. It was one of the most popular pubs in the area, hosting four men’s darts teams, two women’s darts teams, a cribbage team and a domino team.”

Her son, Gary, 44, who grew up in the pub, believes there is no reason why, with the right people in charge, the building could not be restored to its former glory.

He is calling on the new owners, GPS Properties Ltd, who purchased the property from Admiral Taverns earlier this year, to reopen it as a pub. He is also considering launching a petition to save the Merry Boys and is calling on those who want to retain the building as a pub to e-mail him on garypindred@aol.com.

Mr Pindred, a catering manager, said: “It was once the hub of the community. With the correct people in the pub there is no reason why a good and loyal customer base cannot be built up again, even in the present economic climate.

“With a refurbishment, new tenants and a new lease of life and probably offering good food, I cannot see why this pub should not thrive again.

“With numerous building projects going on around the town surely the infrastructure needs to sustain more businesses and places of entertainment.

“We cannot afford any more pubs to go and the town to lose its identity.”