PUBLICANS in Weymouth have been urged to develop a “sense of community” around their establishments in order to survive - following the closure of a popular town centre pub.

The Duke of Cornwall, known for live music, called last orders for the final time in the run-up to Christmas.

Patricia Wilson, who has owned the St Edmund Street venue since 2008, said: “My locals have been phenomenal and they’re still being phenomenal by showing me a lot of support.

“The pub is not just a building or the staff, but the customers as well. It’s a combination and you can’t survive without all of them in the mix.”

Ms Wilson would not comment on why the pub had closed.

Tony Egerton, secretary of the West Dorset branch of CAMRA, said pubs should “make the most of what assets they’ve got” in order to survive.

He added: “It’s a hard time for publicans, with supermarkets undercutting them massively by selling cheap lagers at low prices.

“A pub should develop its sense of community rather than just being a watering hole.”

He added that pubs which try to be “all things to all people” by offering loud music and television screens risk losing their role as a “hub of the community”.

Figures from CAMRA show that 29 pubs currently close in the UK every week. CAMRA is and the group are encouraging residents to submit local pubs to the council as assets of community value, which would offer the buildings additional protection from development.

Ian Lloyd-Edwards, new co-owner of the Old Castle Hotel in Sudan Road, hopes an out-of-town location and family-orientated atmosphere can separate his pub from those unable to survive.

The site changed ownership at the beginning of December and is now looking to serve locally-sourced pub grub, with the Thai restaurant element of the business is moving to the Rock Hotel.

Mr Lloyd-Edwards said: “As far as town prices go, I can’t compete with that and I intend not to worry about it to be honest.

“If people go to town, they want to go out but if they come here, they want a nice relaxing drink, possibly a meal, and a friendly chat at the bar.”

Although realistic about the challenges currently facing the pub trade, he is confident that his establishment can grow into something special for the community.

He said: “The next couple of months is going to be tough because it’s quiet after Christmas, but hopefully over the summer it will start coming together.”