THE only pub in a Ribble Valley village has been closed ahead of a major refurbishment next year.

The White Bull Hotel in Gisburn, which was recently closed to the public, will undergo a complete interior transformation.

The pub was established in 1865 and was left as the sole pub in the village after the closure of The New Inn, Ribblesdale Arms and The Commercial. The Grade II listed building is owned by Star Pubs and Bars which is currently searching for a new tenant to take on the business.

A Star Pubs and Bars spokesman said: “We have closed the White Bull because the contract with the temporary management company that had been running it has come to an end and the pub is about to undergo a major refurbishment in early 2014.

“We are in talks with applicants interested in taking on the pub and want The White Bull to open again as soon as possible.”