A POPULAR PUB near Okehampton is ‘on the brink’ of closure after nine months of Covid says its landlord — as he launches a Save Our Pub campaign.

Malcolm Whybrow, landlord of The New Inn at Sampford Courtenay, has spearheaded the online campaign to raise £5,500, which he says is the amount he needs just to cover his costs until the current lockdown ends on December 2.

Malcolm, who runs the pub with his wife Karen and daughters, said he had been hugely touched by the support he had received from customers past and present to his Go Fund Me campaign.

He has so far raised £785 towards his £5,500 target.

Appealing to his customers, Mr Whybrow said: ‘I have owned the pub for nearly 10 years and been a part of a fantastic community and I love life and the friends I’ve made, who have supported me through two bouts of cancer while still working.

‘I would rather go through the harsh regime of chemo than go through these uncertain times. Please help us to keep the pub going for a fantastic set of friends, customers and, just as importantly, our suppliers.

‘Please donate what you can afford, it could help us to open when Boris allows us.’

Speaking to the Times, Mr Whybrow said: ‘We are now on the brink. We are now £235,000 down since March and I’m sure we are not the only pub business that is suffering at the moment.

‘Really the Government support has been woeful. Yes, we got the grant and the bounce-back loan but that is a drop in the ocean for what we actually need.

‘For the lockdown this month, we are getting a cash grant to help us with costs, which is £3,000 at the present time, but we are due to lose £26,000 this month. We are heading into Christmas with no clue as to what is going to be happening.

He added: ‘We just can’t plan for Christmas. Last Christmas we had 30 plus parties booked in and this year we haven’t got a single one booked in. Are we going to be able to open on December 2 or are there going to be more local lockdowns, more restrictions? If there is a 10pm curfew, then that’s New Year’s Eve out the window.’

Mr Whybrow said the brewery which leases them the pub had waived their rent for this month but all the other costs, including insurance, left him needing to find £450 for the pub per day standing open.

He said the appeal for £5,500 would ensure that the pub business was still afloat on December 2 would be enough to allow him to reopen. The pub hopes to serve takeaway Christmas lunches to vulnerable and isolated people over the festive period. ‘We have had brilliant support from staff, customers and all the other businesses but unfortunately it is going to take a lot to bounce back,’ he said. ‘This is to keep us going until the end of lockdown and to pay our bills because at the moment we have got no income whatsover, as this cash grant from the Government is nowhere to be seen. There is so much uncertainty and that is incredibly stressful, not knowing if we are going to be able to open for Christmas.’