Preston's 'last PNE fans pub' under threat

The on-off saga of The Sumners in Fulwood has taken a new twist following news that the fans’ favourite watering hole could be on the verge of being sold.

Agents for the pub’s owners say the alehouse is “under offer” after being put on the market for more than £600,000.

And, although the company revealed the business would continue as a pub for “the short-term,” no guarantees are being given about what will happen to the site in the future.

“I don’t think the football fans have anything to worry about in the next couple of years,” said a spokesman for CBRE, the Manchester-based firm who have been marketing the pub.

“We have got it under offer by a party looking to do a number of things with the property.

“Probably in the short-term it will continue as a pub. But in the longer term they will probably be doing some sort of development. It is early days yet. But we can’t really tell what will happen.”

If The Sumners was to close it would be a huge blow to thirsty fans following the loss of two other football pubs near to Preston North End’s Deepdale stadium. The Royal Garrison, which closed in 2012, is being converted into two houses and the New Deepdale Hotel in St George’s Road shut in 2013.

The Sumners is the second pub of that name, having been built in 1985 to replace the original which stood yards away and was demolished to make way for a road widening scheme. It was formerly called the Prince Albert.