The Royal Oak regulars and Bigbury Parish residents, write:

We are writing to express our shock and sadness at the news that our local pub – The Royal Oak in Bigbury – has been closed down. The pub has been at the very heart of Bigbury for more than a hundred years (since 1857) and its demise is crucifying for a village such as ours. Although extremely beautiful, the village is fairly isolated so quite apart from generating vital employment opportunities for locals, the pub has always provided a wonderful, warm environment for people to congregate and the perfect destination for holidaymakers.

We don't underestimate how hard it is for pubs to make ends meet in this day and age as evidenced by the current statistics on pub closures, but we refuse to accept that this is it, even if the pub's next incarnation is as some sort of venture which will benefit the local area. The Royal Oak has always worked best as a simple local pub serving simple 'unfussy' food, in a classic pub environment. Even if this current state of affairs is a salutary wake up call for everyone to get behind it, we firmly believe we can be that again, and that there's a viable business to be grown here.

Inevitably all sorts of wild rumours are circulating as to what the pub might become, but as we are in an Area of Outstanding Natural the options must surely be negligible. The Royal Oak adds huge value to the entire community and plans to do anything else on the site would obviously be vociferously opposed.

The closure of our pub has left a large black hole in the village but we're ever confident that someone with a simple, clear vision and a real sense for community can fill it?

On behalf of the Royal Oak regulars and Bigbury Parish residents.