HOPE remains a Ferndown pub will stay open as a petition against the closure of the popular waterhole soars past 1,000 signatures.
Earlier this year, it was announced Wetherspoon's pub The Nightjar in Victoria Road would be closing at some point this month.
The chain elected not to renew the lease for the building after the landlord hiked up the price, it is understood.
Shortly after the announcement, a petition did the rounds among regulars demanding Wetherspoon rethinks its decision.
Set up by Linda Polley, the petition quickly garnered 600 signatures and pubgoers gathered one evening in July to show Wetherspoon “the pub’s popularity”.
However, amid speculation the pub would not be closing after all, Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon confirmed to the Echo that there are no plans to renew the lease of the pub.
Read more: JD Wetherspoon to close The Nightjar pub in Ferndown
He said: “We do not have a closure date for the Nightjar, Ferndown, and I am not aware of any changes in the plan to renew the lease at this current time.”
Linda, however, remains optimistic that bosses will rethink.
She said: “There has been a lot of hearsay and rumours spreading around about the Nightjar’s future, and I have sent emails to Wetherspoons, but have not heard anything back.
“With Wilko next door going into administration, it would be really good if Wetherspoons could stay or even buy the place.”
Since the petition, Linda said she has been the go-to person in the pub for those wanting to know what is happening.
Read more: Punters rally against closure of Wetherspoon pub in Ferndown
“We’ve been asked by so many people whenever we go in if we have heard anything, but we have to tell them no,” she added.
“The whole community is still so upset about it and we just want it to stay.”
Rent for the pub is reported to be more than £25,000 more expensive once the lease expires, a figure Wetherspoon refuse to pay.
Krissy Stamp, mayor of Ferndown, has been vocal in keeping the pub open and wants a cheap place for residents to drink amid a cost of living crisis.
She told the Echo the lease for the building per year is “roughly £54,900” at present.
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