David BaleA popular city pub that is featured in the current edition of Camra's Good Beer Guide and dates back to 1836 has been sold to an unknown buyer.The Rosary Tavern in Rosary Road was popular with Canaries' fans on their way to Carrow Road on match days.David Bale

A popular city pub that is featured in the current edition of Camra's Good Beer Guide and dates back to 1836 has been sold to an unknown buyer.

The Rosary Tavern in Rosary Road was popular with Canaries' fans on their way to Carrow Road on match days.

But insiders said the Thorpe Hamlet pub had been unable to survive in the tough economic conditions, and former owner, Enterprise Inns confirmed today that it had been sold and was shut.

The pub has had a chequered history in the last few years, and was closed for most of last year, before being reopened by Steve O'Shea, who also runs the Nelson in Nelson Street, Norwich.

Mr O'Shea was unavailable for comment yesterday, but a pub regular, who did not wish to be named, said: 'I am reliably informed that the 'For Sale' notice on the outside of the pub has been taken down and it could have been sold for housing.

'Certainly all the pub-related equipment that was inside has been taken out. I guess that, although a change of planning use might be difficult to obtain, as it's got the Coach and Horses on one side and The Jubilee on the other, anyone could argue that the site has no real future as a pub.'

The Evening News through our Love Your Local campaign has been urging punters to return to pubs to help them survive the recession.

For more stories about the campaign visit www.eveningnews24.co.uk/loveyourlocal.

Have you got a pubs story for the Evening News' campaign? Call reporter David Bale on 01603 772427 or email david.bale2@archant.co.uk.