A popular Morrells pub has closed in mysterious circumstances.

Villagers were shocked to see the Berinsfield Arms, at Berinsfield, boarded up. But Morrells Brewery immediately denied rumours that the closure was linked to the company's sale.

Morrells, which hopes to complete the sale of the brewery and 132 pubs next month, blamed the closure on "operational diffi- culties".

Brewery spokesman Alison Bromhall said: "We are currently looking for a new tenant and either ourselves, or the new purchasers, will be appointing one in due course."

Berinsfield Parish Council chairman Ken Hall said the pub's regulars would be feeling "very aggrieved" after the closure of the pub in Fane Drive.

It is the only pub in Berinsfield - the only other licensed premises in the village is the Berinsfield Community Association, which is members only.

"I think it's something that we need to keep open," said Mr Hall, who is also a south Oxfordshire coun- cillor.

"People have to leave the village to go to a pub now, and that's not good for the village. I should imagine that those people who used it are very aggrieved."

Fernando Pestana, who works in Smarts fish and chip shop next to the Berinsfield Arms, said: "People will be upset. It's sad that it has closed.

"They used to come here. We had more customers when the pub was open."

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