WADWORTH brewery has been criticised after it sold another pub in a village, prompting fears it could be turned into a house.

The Three Horseshoes in Burbage has been sold as a pub with its licence still in place, but residents worry it could be developed. The French Horn in Pewsey was also sold as a pub but planning permission was later given to turn it into a four-bedroom home.

Defiant villagers in Burbage have set up an action group to block any scheme, although no planning permission has been submitted to change the use of the pub on Stibb Green. Wadworth sold land near the pub a decade ago to developers who built nine houses.

Concern has grown as the inn signs on the pub have already been taken down and the village is now waiting to see what happens. The White Hart is now Burbage’s only pub.

A spokesman for Wadworth said: “Following a review of our pub estate we have sold the Three Horseshoes Inn, Burbage. We are unable to confirm who we have sold the pub to, however, we can confirm that the pub has been sold with the licence in place.”

Burbage resident Allan Masey said: “The sale was all very hush hush. We didn’t know anything about it until it happened.

“The previous tenants were informed that when they left the pub would be sold. They were given two weeks to decide whether to move to a bigger pub offered to them by Wadworth.

“The change seems to have suited all parties but it means the community loses out as the pub is shut. Ironically, the CEO of Wadworth, Chris Welham, was talking about the importance of protecting the community at a recent royal visit.”

Wadworth operates more than 200 pubs in the south west and has been brewing beer in Devizes since 1875.

This week Mr Welham told the Gazette that despite redundancies and reorganisation, Wadworth is not being prepared for sale and is totally committed to staying in Devizes, saying: “I can understand that when we make changes people do get worried but we are very excited about the future and our core business of brewing and running pubs.”