A POPULAR seafront pub has been put on the market despite its landlords investing more than £30,000 improving it for customers.

Enterprise Inns has decided to put Campbell’s Landing in Clevedon up for sale, with a view to selling the freehold with no restrictions on its future use.

The news has come as a blow to business partners Lee Emery and Lee Thorn, who took over a five-year tenancy for the venue and reopened it in May 2012 after refurbishing the bar area.

Since then, they have spent more than £30,000 renovating the eight-bedroom hotel which sits above the pub.

Now, they have set up an online petition to demonstrate the strength of feeling against the sale of the building in The Beach.

Lee Emery said: “Enterprise Inns is basically selling the pub from under us.

“We only found out about two or three weeks ago.

“We have invested £30-40,000 into the hotel rooms and it is now unlikely we will ever get that back. Enterprise now says it is no longer a viable business option.

“It is so well-known and I think it’s the best pub on the seafront. The last thing you want is for the building to be closed and left boarded up.”

As well as launching a petition against the closure of the pub, the two business partners are investigating whether they could attract enough investment to allow them to buy the freehold to keep it open.

A spokesman for Enterprise Inns said: “As part of our ongoing business, we do from time to time identify a pub which may no longer have a long-term future in our estate.

“After careful consideration, the decision has been taken to offer the Campbell’s Landing freehold for sale, and the property will soon be on the open market, with no restrictions on future use.”

Anyone interested in investing can email info@campbellslanding.net and the petition can be found at www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/enterprise-inns-stop-the-closure-selling-of-campbells-landing