Customers and staff of The Constitution were ‘robbed of the chance to say goodbye’ to the pub in St Pancras Way

• TO say that we are devastated by recent events would be an understatement, (Friends see wake cancelled after sudden closure of The Constitution pub, February 13).

At the start of this process, Pubs of Distinction assured us that it was their intention to sell The Constitution to a sympathetic buyer.

It has now become apparent that this was never the case and that there was no interest in opening a meaningful dialogue with staff, customers or prospective buyers to preserve any of the aspects that make The Constitution unique.

First and foremost, The Constitution is an integral part of the local community that caters for everyone, regardless of their economic or social background. It is not another bland and soulless chain pub.

We accept that whoever the pub had been sold to, it would need to be refurbished and that it would have to close while this took place.

However, giving the staff and customers no notice of these plans was a callous and deceitful move on the part of Pubs of Distinction and has a robbed us of the chance to say goodbye.

Put simply, there is nowhere else like The Constitution. A place where, whatever time or day of the week, you could walk in and see a friend.

Where you could watch the football or have a game of pool while your favourite songs played on the juke-box. Where you could see live music or comedy downstairs and enjoy a lazy afternoon in the beer garden.

For decades it was the place where we hosted birthday parties, christenings, weddings and wakes; fundraisers, New Year’s Eve and Hawaii Shirt Day. It was the heart of our community, one which has now been torn out.

The events of the past few days have shown that all of this means nothing when you have the option of charging £14.95 for a Sunday roast to line the pockets of a private equity firm.

Young’s statement that they “look forward to bringing The Constitution back into the heart of the community” feels disingenuous.

At no point in this process has anyone taken the time to try and speak to us or work with us to create something the community actually wants and needs.

The way in which we have been patronised and dismissed without warning is a very bitter pill to swallow. Young’s, you are not welcome here.

A pub is not about a building, it is about the people. You have made it clear that you do not want, need, or care about our business and we have no intention of giving it to you.

THE CUSTOMERS AND STAFF OF THE CONSTITUTION