THE story of the Hope and Anchor is a sad one that is repeated time and time again.

It was in recent memory listed in the Good Beer Guide but a succession of tenant/managers who have struggled with the business (sometimes selling cask-sometimes not) led to the business failing.

It led to an application to demolish the buildings being submitted, although, as the Star reported last week, it has now been withdrawn for reasons unknown.

The main problem with the site is the changing demographics. When the nearby glassworks employed a lot of men doing physical jobs who would stop for a few after their shifts the Anchor did well.

Now the glassworks employs a lot less people there just is not that demand and it is no surprise that several pubs on North Road have closed in the last few years.

This has also been at a time when the whole ‘pubco model’ has been failing with the big pubcos looking to service their huge debts by lumping charge after charge on to the pub. With high rents and extortionate beer prices many pubs, not just in St Helens, have started to struggle and are auctioned off for alternative use.

When pubs are auctioned there are people looking to buy and maintain them as pubs but too often they are outbid by the property companies for alternative uses.

Alan Healey, chairman St Helens CAMRA