ONE of Andover’s oldest pubs has stopped serving alcohol and its future is uncertain.

The Lamb in Winchester Street has been serving ale for 400 years but is expected to close its doors within days.

Owners Wadworth of Devizes has ordered the landlord to leave.

Rod Kershaw, who runs the pub with partner Jan Shelley, is a “tenant at will”, meaning he can be moved out with minimal notice by the Wiltshire brewery, famous for its 6X and Henry’s IPA bitters.

He said: “We have been here for 60 weeks and it has taken all of that time to get the pub up on its feet. Now they have told us to leave and have pulled my designated supervisor licence, meaning I can no longer sell alcohol – although we can still do food.

They want us out but Jan has been unwell and her doctor has said she can’t be moved until 17 September.”

Stories about the closure have already been circulating in the town and a Facebook campaign has been launched to save the hostelry.

Wadworth Brewery marketing and sales spokesman Paul Sullivan said: “We are selling The Lamb as an ongoing licensed premises.

“Whether the purchasers decide to continue to run it as an open pub or a social club it is a matter for them and I’m not aware of their plans.”

Wadworth say they have made no moves to engineer a change of use of the building.

However, Test Valley Borough Council has confirmed that its views may have to be sought if the pub is to be lost as a community building through a change of use.

A spokeswoman for the council said: “There are a number of factors which would influence whether it would be necessary to gain planning permission for a change of use from a public house to a works canteen.

“However, there is a likelihood that planning consent would be required.”