A LANDLORD and real ale campaigners are urging drinkers to use their remaining local pubs in Didcot or lose them.

Paul French, who runs the Broadways in Broadway and The Sprat in Hagbourne Road, spoke out as it emerged that plans to demolish The Crown in Queensway have been approved.

South Oxfordshire District Council planners have backed the application by York-based Uborate Ltd to knock down the pub and build five terraced homes in its place.

The Sprat is also to be demolished and there are plans to bulldoze the Prince of Wales pub in Station Road to make way for the multi-million pound Didcot Gateway redevelopment opposite Didcot Parkway.

Mr French, 57, who has been running the Broadways for the past 24 years, said its lease has been up for sale for the past three years, but so far there have been no takers.

He said: “It’s definitely a case of use it or lose it when it comes to local pubs at the moment.

“Cheap booze in supermarkets is killing the pub trade – people buy a load of booze in the supermarket, invite their friends round and have a drink in the garden.

“You have to try and offer something extra so we do food as well – you need to get families in as well as the regular drinkers.

“It’s just a matter of time before The Sprat is demolished, which is quite sad as it’s quite historic.

“The lease for the Broadways is up for sale because I have been here a long time and would like to try somewhere else but it’s a difficult time for pub landlords – business rates are high.

“It’s been a tough time for pubs ever since the recession and it’s still a tough time.”

Mr French’s call for support has been backed by the Campaign for Real Ale, which has launched an initiative to protect 3,000 pubs from demolition. Statistics show 29 pubs a week are being lost across the UK.

Paul Dixon, South Oxfordshire CAMRA spokesman, who lives in Didcot, said the Wallingford Arms in Broadway has also been closed for several months, but could reopen.

Mr Dixon added: “Didcot has seven per cent of South Oxfordshire’s pubs, but about 20 per cent of the total population. Pub companies appear to be selling unprofitable pubs to developers so people need to use their locals or lose them.”