The “heart has been torn from a community” claim residents who are fighting to save a Suffolk village’s only pub following the news it had closed its doors to customers.

The “heart has been torn from a community” claim residents who are fighting to save a Suffolk village’s only pub following the news it had closed its doors to customers.

The historic Pinkuah Arms, in Pentlow near Sudbury, ceased trading last week – and members of the community are now fighting to ensure the 17th century building remains a pub, rather than being sold off and turned into a house.

Vice chair of Pentlow Parish Council, Simon Dain said: “It really was the heart of the community.

“It was the only pub in the village and so it would be so sad to see it closed forever.

“The Pinkers did a great pub quiz and had a good darts team, too. They’ll have nowhere to practice now.

He added: “It’s a real shame. The pub business is a difficult one.

“It’s not in a place that would get a lot of passing trade, so unless you make the food worth travelling for, it’s going to be hard for it to make money.

“But locals love it. We can’t let it be torn away.”

Mr Dain, his fellow councillors and some residents have applied for the building, in Pinkuah Lane, to become a ‘community asset’.

This would prevent anyone from changing the building into a residence for at least five years.

A decision is expected to be made by Braintree District Council in five to six weeks, bosses said.

District councillor Iona Parker, who represents Pentlow, added: “I would certainly support the Pinkuah Arms becoming a community asset. I think it is necessary to keep the pub going and I know what an important place it is to the people who live in the village.

“I am sad to see it closed and it is sad for the village and the surrounding areas.”

The name ‘Pinkuah’ is said to be a corruption of the words ‘pink house’, which is thought to have been the original name of the pub when it was first opened several centuries ago.

The story goes that the ‘Arms’ part of the name was added when a landlord bought an old coat of arms to display.

John and Jo Wilsdon, who took over the Pinkuah Arms in June last year, were contacted for comment, but did not respond when approached by this newspaper.

The owner of the pub could not be contacted for comment.