THE TEMPLE Inn pub in Liss Forest is set to close.

The current tenants are leaving the pub at the end of their contract later this month and Fuller’s has decided to put the pub up for sale.

Liss Parish Council chairman Keith Budden, who is also the East Hampshire District Councillor for Liss Forest, said: “It is disappointing that we are losing the only pub in Liss Forest.

“It is an unfortunate sign of the times and pubs are closing at a rate of knots.

“To be fair to Fuller’s they have tried to make the pub work and they’ve got a commercial judgement to make, so they’ve obviously decided it’s not commercially viable.

“It’s a crying shame. While I’m not a regular at the Temple Inn I have used it for the last 30-odd years.

“I’m genuinely gutted about the Temple as it is a good focal point in the village.

“It is a real shame as we also used to have a butcher’s and a Post Office in Liss Forest and they’ve both gone. The only positive is that it will release a site for housing.

“We will also probably need to find somewhere else for the mobile Post Office, which was going to go in the Temple Inn.”

Commenting on the future of the Temple Inn, a spokesman for Fuller, Smith and Turner, said: “The Temple Inn has had a series of short-term tenants in recent years and, as we are yet again without a tenant, we have reluctantly taken the decision to close the pub.

“In addition, we have been reviewing our nearly 200-strong tenanted estate and going forward we will be looking to help our tenants open, develop and promote pubs that deliver the distinctive experience, including freshly cooked food, customers expect when they see the Fuller’s name.

“As part of that plan, there are a number of sites that have been earmarked for sale and we have decided to include the Temple Inn.”

The Temple Inn has gone up for sale through Savills, which is with an asking price in excess of £500,000.

Savills is advertising the pub on its website and says there is development potential subject to planning.

Anyone who would like more information should visit: commercialsearch.savills.co.uk/property-detail/6041 for more details.

The current tenants at the Temple Inn confirmed they are leaving at the end of their contract, but did not wish to be quoted by the Post.

Anyone who has an idea for a location for the mobile Post Office in Liss Forest should e-mail [email protected]