A PUB which has served the Penhill community for many years has been closed for the foreseeable future.

The newly refurbished Deers Leap pub on Penhill Drive, owned by Enterprise Inns, served its last pint late last week before closing over the weekend.

On Monday evening, Enterprise boarded up the windows and Deers Leap stopped trading.

An Enterprise spokesman said: “We can confirm that the Deers Leap has temporarily closed following the publican's decision to cease trading.

“We recognise The Deers Leap is popular with its regulars and we aim for the pub to resume trading as soon as possible.”

Rumours have been circulating about why exactly the pub has closed, with some people suggesting financial struggles. It is unknown at this time whether the landlady will resume trading or whether Enterprise will install a new tenant.

On the Facebook site, Shout Out Swindon, Deers Leap landlady Carly Adams, who has worked in the industry since the age of 18, posted: “Lol.... no we have not gone bust please get your facts straight before chatting a whole load of s*** as it is peoples[sic] lively hood[sic] you are discussing! The brewery that owns The Leap is Enterprise. ... need I say anymore lol!

“royal oak, grapes, 12 bar, the rolliston, the queensfield and whetshef now the leap.... they are all enterprise pubs. Being a landlord/lady is a hard job but with that brewery its even harder. [sic]”

Pub regulars and members of the local community, including Coun Paul Baker, (Lab, Penhill and Upper Stratton) have expressed surprise at the news.

Coun Baker said: “The Deers Leap was a very viable business and it was doing quite well. But why it’s closed down I don’t know. One minute the place was open and the next it’s closed.

“We hope as a community that it will open again soon because it is a great community hub.

“Most people are worried it will become an eyesore.”

Many posters on the Shout Out Swindon Facebook page expressed sadness at the loss of yet another Swindon pub and praised the work of Carly Adams.

One comment, from Steve Warr, said: “As someone who worked many years behind those bars and a customer for many more I will say this: the last two couples who ran the Deers Leap, Tracy & Colin and Carly & Sean tried their damndest to keep the place clean, tidy and respectable with zero investment from Enterprise Inns and maximum cash extraction.

“The Leap used to be one of the cheapest in town, now it’s one of the dearest. Any surprise it’s now closed?”

Despite numerous attempts, the Adver was unable to contact the landlady yesterday.