Hundreds march in support of publican

Hundreds of people are estimated to have marched in support of a publican after she quit their beloved venue amid a dispute with a pub chain.

More than 200 demonstrators took part in Broseley, Shropshire, according to Rod Willis, a friend of the outgoing Kerry Ford who had been running the town's Pipe Makers Arms.

He said those who were there on Friday night "could not have failed to feel the warmth within the community" towards Ms Ford and the pub.

Punch Pubs has said a new publican has been found to take over the venue.

Ms Ford has declined to speak about the matter, although friends have told the BBC she chose to leave after the chain put up the rent.

There was, according to Mr Willis, a "feeling of injustice", because Ms Ford had created "one thing that was really beautiful" in the town.

"Considering it's a cost-of-living crisis," he added, "I think she's done really well with it."

The "good natured" protest had shown Broseley to be a "tight-knit place", he said, with Ms Ford left "overwhelmed" by the support.

March organiser Nuala O'Kane said before the protest they were "standing up for Broseley".

She described Ms Ford as "an example of someone who had put their heart and soul into building something".

Ahead of Friday's events, one local trader remarked the venue was "not a pub, it's not a business, it's a community".

In a statement last week, Ed Passey, operations director at Punch Pubs, said the venue was an "integral" part of the chain's estate, and recognised there was strong feeling locally.

The new publican is due to take over in the coming weeks.

Mr Willis said he hoped they would "buy into" the atmosphere Ms Ford had created, adding they had to "realise the strength of feeling".