Residents 'gutted' after sudden Facebook rumours about beloved pub prove correct

Punters have launched a campaign to save a much-loved pub in Stockport after social media rumours that it was set to suddenly shut proved to be correct.

Last weekend, speculation arose online that The Golden Hind, in Offerton, would be closing and that the land was being sold by owners Greene King. Posts sharing rumours of the closure quickly arose on a local Facebook group and garnered hundreds of comments, as pub-goers and residents pleaded for the news to be wrong.

However, brewer and pub company Greene King have now confirmed to the Manchester Evening News that the pub will be closing in the coming weeks. It has not provided a specific date, although a formal consultation with staff has begun. There has been no further comment on whether the land has been sold or if it will be redeveloped.

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Locals and residents have described the news as “shocking” and “very sad”. A petition has been started to save the venue, which has been described as an “integral” part of the community, with a sign calling for it to be saved also fixed to the railing outside the pub claiming it will be shut on November 26.

Written in caps, it reads: “Save The Golden Hind from closure. It’s not just a pub, it’s our community hub. Contact Greene King web page ‘contact us’. Thank you Offerton.”

The pub on Lisburne Lane first opened in 1967 and sits at the heart of Offerton. The Campaign for Real Ale's (CAMRA) What Pub Guide describes it as having a "large open plan corner dining pub popular with families during the day, and those