THESE are tough times for publicans. Falling profits and mounting business costs place them in an impossible position.

The Sunday Telegraph recently reported that a £3.3 million fund set up by the Department for Communities and Local Government to help stem the closure of local pubs had been closed down before a penny was paid out.

Even research published by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has revealed that over 300 local pubs have closed in the last six months and closures are continuing at a rate of 12 each week.

A couple who know this better than most is Terry and Wendy Shears of the Vine Tree in Tudorville.

They were distressed to see a letter in the Gazette last week regarding the potential change of use of their pub, the Vine Tree.

"When we came here four and a half years ago," said Wendy speaking to the Gazette, "our plan was to keep the pub going, develop the Restaurant nd support both, by putting two small cabins on the land for overnight stays for fishermen or other guests. We had negative responses for all our ideas, from Herefordshire Council so could not go ahead with our "support" plans." They have seen a decline, as most other pubs, in trade over the last 18 months to two years and reluctantly they put the pub onto the market 18 months ago. "Terry actually wrote to more than 40 Breweries to try and sell it as a going concern. We have had interest in the property, but not as a pub. Herefordshire Council will confirm this as they have had "a handful" of enquiries about the property but not as a public house."

"With the current economic climate, and as everyone knows, pubs are closing all over the county - not just here. We do not think this is just because of the recession, but people live their lives differently. There is everything you need in your own home. Some time ago, we wrote to Jesse Norman MP regarding the sale of cheap alcohol and how it was affecting pubs - I think however, this may have been too little too late. Even the traditional games teams such as darts and crib team are becoming few are far between."

Terry and Wendy remain open for business but have stopped opening at lunch time, apart from Saturday and Sunday. They now only cook Sunday Lunch as the food trade has just died.

"Terry is now working full time elsewhere and that, together with his naval pension, keeps this pub open - but not for long. We are both coming up to pension age and need to start providing for our retirement. Therefore, we have to stop supporting the business and start providing for ourselves.

"We do not want, and have never wanted, this pub to close but it will because of the trade over the last 18 months. If we cannot open up the market by "change of use" then I am afraid there will be another boarded up pub in Herefordshire - would it not be better then to see such a beautiful building in use?

Wendy said that the writer of the letter to the Gazette, Mr Pope, has not supported this pub for the last four years. He was very vocal when the last owners of this pub wanted 'change of use' and with CAMRA's involvement, says that they 'SAVED THIS PUB'. Actually, it was us that saved the pub by buying it in the first place.

Wendy added: "The saying goes, 'use it or lose it' – it's ok to shout when all is going wrong but where is the continued support?"