A TINY Suffolk pub is confident it will not be losing its title as the smallest in Britain after a new contender came to the fore.

It has emerged a micro-pub in Kent could be in the running for the crown that has been proudly held by The Nutshell, in Bury St Edmunds for many years.

The Nutshell was officially the world’s smallest pub but lost its place in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2003 to an even more diminutive watering-hole in America.

Now it could be in danger of losing its national title because Martyn Hillier, who runs a public house called The Butcher’s Arms in Herne, Kent, is challenging its claim.

At just 14ft by 12ft, 168 sq ft, The Butcher’s Arms is certainly small and in the past few weeks a national newspaper has declared it to be Britain’s tiniest pub.

Mr Hillier says the matter is open to debate.

He says The Nutshell has an upstairs area and if that space is taken into account, his pub could be deemed the smallest.

However, Jack Burton, who runs The Nutshell, yesterday defended his pub’s honour.

Told the dimensions of The Butcher’s Arms, Mr Burton said simply: “Nope, we’re smaller than that.”

He denied any part of The Nutshell other than the 15ft by 7ft (105 sq ft) bar area was used by customers, which meant his pub remained the nation’s smallest.

Defiant, he added: “We’ve had two or three challengers over the years, but we’re still the smallest pub in Britain.”

He said the Nutshell could comfortably accommodate up to 25 drinkers at a time.