A QUAINT country pub which reopened less than four months ago is closing its doors AGAIN.

Yesterday’s Sunday lunch was the last service at The Lamb Inn in Winkton, near Christchurch.

Tenants Tracey and Geoff Brawn are blaming poor weather for the failure of their latest business venture.

They also operate the successful The White Hart in Poulner and the Crown Tap in Ringwood.

The Lamb, in Burley Road, closed suddenly in July last year.

Customers had been greeted by a hand-written note on the door which simply said: “Sorry we are closed.”

A sign was placed outside offering “a fantastic business opportunity” by ei publican partnerships, formerly known as Enterprise Inns.

The company’s website revealed a rent of £51,000 per year and estimated start-up costs of £16,750 were needed to run the pub.

Geoff and Tracey took over in late September, giving the pub a new menu and a spruced-up bar area.
The refurbishment included a colourful floral display and a lick of teal paint around the bar area.

At the time, Tracey said: “I have always really loved The Lamb - we came here years ago and fell in love with the place. 

“We are very excited about it.”

She said they made the decision to take on the pub after a chance meeting with a representative from ei publicvan partnerships at the New Forest show.

And she told how local people had been popping in to see how the refurbishment work was going.

Live music, darts and sport on TV were all promised.

But yesterday Tracey is urged customers old and new to say goodbye in their last lunch service.

She told the Daily Echo: “It is a lovely pub and we really wanted it to work but it just hasn’t.

“We have stayed as long as we possibly could but the weather has killed us. 

“It’s been really bad since we took over and no one’s been coming in.”

The Lamb is one of a number of pubs which have closed in the Christchurch area in recent years but some, including the New Queen in nearby Sopley, have since re-opened.