A POPULAR town centre pub is set to shut with the land sold off for development.

The Flying Shuttle in Clerke Street, is loved by dozens of daytime regulars and hundreds of music fans who flock there at weekends to watch bands perform live.

Last week, landlord Chris Murley discovered that Thwaites, which owns the building, is considering selling it off.

He said: "I had a meeting with the area manager on March 19.

"Out of the blue, he tells me that the brewery doesn't see the pub as a profitable asset anymore and that they are going to be advertising it for sale, but it's okay because my contract runs to next January.

"Fast forward to March 30 and, apparently, the brewery has been made offers by two undisclosed property developers.

"So, if they exchange contracts in the next fortnight, I will get 28 days' notice to quit.

"This means, at worst, The Shuttle will close its doors forever in about six weeks and the bulldozers move in."

Thwaites pub operations director Andrew Buchanan said: "Unfortunately The Flying Shuttle in Bury will be closing as it is no longer sustainable under the Thwaites estate model.

"It has been identified as a site which we wish to dispose of although no date for this has yet been set."

The pub opened in 1976 and has had several landlords over the years.

Mr Murley, aged 53, took over in 2011. The pub has its own pool team and bands can rehearse there during the week.

He said: "We have bands playing on Saturday nights and music nights on Thursdays and Fridays. It is a real community for people who like alternative music.

"During the week, we try to make the pub as welcoming as possible.

"If it is chucking it down outside and people come in with not much money and just want to sit with their friends with a can of Coke for a few hours, they know we won't chuck them out."

He added: "It's been a bit of a wild ride for four years.

"It's been a privilege to work with the staff we've had, the friends we've made, the bands and promoters we've met and mostly our valued customers."

Mr Murley said he wants to offer some sort of live entertainment elsewhere in Bury, but will not know more until a firm timescale for the pub’s closure is in place.