Trade at a Thorpe St Andrew pub has suddenly picked up, after the closure of a nearby boozer led to a sudden influx of new customers.

The Gordon in Gordon Avenue, Thorpe, closed last weekend with customers and staff in tears at the sad news.

However, many regulars have already set up home at the nearby Mill House in Laundry Lane.

The Gordon is owned by Punch Taverns, whose spokesman said it planned to reopen it as soon as possible.

But regulars are not confident that it will reopen soon as they said fixtures and fittings had been removed from the pub, and said it would cost thousands to replace them.

Customer Steve Felton, who lives in Borrowdale Drive and is a former licensee at the Bakers Arms pub in Norwich, said the landlords announced its closure last Saturday night.

He said: 'At about 10.30pm landlords Rod and Anita Pugh suddenly announced to customers that the pub would close with immediate effect.

'Customers were asked to leave the pub and staff were left in tears.

'Many customers who did not know the news were turning up at the pub as usual on Sunday, only to look through the windows to find the place completely stripped bare.

'Neighbours living opposite the pub confirmed that a team of removal men and trucks and vans worked through the night to clear the place. It is a sad day for the community. It's another pub killed off by the recession.'

He added that some of the customers had been regulars for decades, including one man who had visited every day for the past 30 years.

'Many of the regulars from the Gordon have now moved to the nearby Mill House pub, where new publicans have just taken over the property,' he added. A spokesman from Punch Taverns said: 'The licensee has taken the decision to leave the business and our priority is to reopen the pub as soon as possible.'

Mr Pugh did not wish to comment when approached by the Evening News this week. The Evening News has been urging customers to return to pubs in our Love your Local campaign.

To see more stories from the campaign visit www.eveningnews24.co.uk/loveyourlocal.

What's happening at your Norwich local? Call David Bale on 01603 772427 or email david.bale2@archant.co.uk.

Pub of the Week – page 55.