WETHERSPOONS fans in Swindon have cause for celebration after the sale of a popular Swindon town centre pub was cancelled.

The pub giant placed The Sir Daniel Arms up for sale in July, sparking concern about the nighttime trade in the town's once-bustling Fleet Street area.

But Wetherspoons has U-turned on that decision and taken the boozer off of the market.
Regulars at the pub said they had been told by staff that it was no longer going to be sold and Wetherspoons has now confirmed the news to the Adver.

Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “ We can confirm that The Sir Daniel Arms is no longer on the market. It will continue to operate as a Wetherspoon pub.

“We are certain that the pub’s customers and staff will be delighted with the decision. We look forward to the pub serving the area for many years to come.”

Wetherspoons made the pub available to any potential buyers earlier on this year along with six others in the country as part of a potential lightening of its portfolio.

At the time a spokesperson for Wetherspoons said that it was "something it does from time to time". 

The full statement said: “We can confirm that The Sir Daniel Arms in Swindon has been put on the market by Wetherspoon. From time to time the company makes some of its pubs available for sale.

“The Sir Daniel Arms will continue trading as a Wetherspoon, until a buyer is found.

There will be no staff redundancies if the pub is sold.”

Agents Savills and CBRE took over the management of the sale of the Sir Daniel Arms and the other pubs, which were The Bell Hotel, Aylesbury, Chapel An Gansblydhen, Bodmin, The Robert Peel, Bury, The Drum, Leyton, The Postal Order, Worcester and The North and South Wale Bank, Wrexham.

News of the pub’s sale was met with dismay by some Adver readers.

Mark Griffiths said: “The redevelopment of that whole area in the 2000s into pub/club land has proven a disaster from start to finish. 

"Take a look at it now. Almost an entire street of shabby, rundown, vacant buildings.”

Patrick Connolly added: “I would say bad news, it’s the only thing that attracts people to that part of town so will have a knock on effect for local takeaways and other boozers as there will be less footfall in the area.”

Justine Hamilton said: “Why would they do that? Most of the clubs are closed and everyone has pre drinks in Sir Dan’s.”

Wetherspoons, which also owns The Savoy, did not expand on its reasons behind their decision to retain ownership after all.