VILLAGERS could step in to take over a pub which is set to close.

The Three Tuns in Guilden Morden is due to shut its doors for the final time on Sunday after the Greene King brewery, which owns the listed building, decided to put it up for sale.

But residents are keen to keep it open and are investigating a number of avenues, including community ownership in a co-operative scheme.

Dennis Tear, who lives in the village, is one of a number of regulars who want to fight the closure.

He said: “We only found out on Friday so it came as a bit of a bolt from the blue. The landlady told us she had been given a month’s notice by Greene King in December.

“There’s been a pub on the site for about 400 years, but the current building needs a bit of work doing to it, and from a business point of view it’s possible that they think it’s not viable to do that.

“We don’t want to lose the pub because its a big part of village life. The charity Wheels for Martin’s Friends holds a lot of its events there, and they’ve raised £300,000 over the years.

“It’s the only pub in the village that has a restaurant and the current landlady has done a great job with it.”

Mr Tear said those interested in saving the pub were due to meet tomorrow (Friday) at the Three Tuns to discuss their options, and have been in touch with the Hunts branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), who have helped communities successfully save their pubs in the past.

“A co-operative is one of the options on the table,” he said.

“It’s up for sale as a commercial property, so it looks as if Greene King want to sell it as a business rather than for housing. People in the village have offered to buy it in the past.”

A spokesman for Greene King said: “We are committed to running high quality, friendly community pubs.

“To continue to invest in these pubs, from time to time we have to make the difficult decision to close pubs. After much consideration, we have decided to close the Three Tuns.”