A LANDLORD who has been a leading voice in the industry for nearly two decades last night made the heartbreaking announcement that he was shutting his pub – and warned many others would soon follow.

Steve Scarff, chairman of the South West Licensed Victuallers Association, told staff and customers that The Mermaid, the pub he has run in the Eggbuckland area of Plymouth for 17 years, would close its doors from today.

Mr Scarff’s bombshell came as the Conservatives warned that Labour is planning to ratchet up “stealth taxes” on pubs from April. Research they commissioned indicates changes in rateable values will see those with darts, pool tables, or beer gardens will see them move up a tax bracket.

Those which have facilities such as a children’s area, a skittles alley or live sports on TV will also pay more, they claim.

Mr Scarff, who sits on a number of bodies, including the National Parliamentary Committee on licensing, blamed a combination of factors, which he said were ringing the death knell for community pubs.

When the smoking ban was introduced in 2007, business at the Mermaid dropped off by 38 per cent, despite introducing canopies to the beer garden. The situation was exacerbated by rising taxes and rates, and supermarkets selling alcohol so cheap that pubs cannot compete.

Mr Scarff, 50, is now faced with the prospect of trying to find work outside the industry to support his nine-year-old son. His wife Sally has returned to work in social care.

He said: “It’s a grim situation, but our hands are tied. I love my job and I’ve made some fantastic friends through being here. We haven’t let our standards drop in any way, shape or form, but last week we were £1,700 short when it came to paying the bills, and that had to come out of our personal account.”

At 9pm last night, Mr Scarff told customers and 12 staff, including three family members, that when the barman called time, it would be for good.

He said the pub, which can easily accommodate 700 people and has parking space for 350 cars, had to raise £3,500 a week “just to stand still” as a result of rising costs. Meanwhile, more and more customers are choosing to stay at home, he said, drinking lager bought from supermarkets in batches of 20 for £8.

Mr Scarff said he knows of four other pubs in the Westcountry which have closed in the past week, with around 15 closing since Christmas. “If it carries on this way, we’re going to lose all our local pubs,” he said. “I just hope that we can stop these supermarkets from selling alcohol at irresponsible prices.”

He said chains like Wetherspoons sold beer at prices that independent landlords cannot buy it in for, because they are tied to contracts with breweries.

The Tories say that nearly 3,700 local pubs have closed since Labour came into power.

Shadow housing minister Grant Shapps said the Prime Minister had “pushed local community pubs to the wall”.