A town centre pub dating back to the 1840s has been earmarked for flats – having remained closed since the start of the pandemic.

Owners of the Rodney’s Sports Bar in North Street, Herne Bay, are hoping to turn it into homes amid claims it is no longer viable to run as a boozer.

Manager Allan Woods stresses profits had been hit by the number of pubs in the area with Sky Sports, as most of its trade was through showing live football matches.

The 57-year-old says this prompted the owner to decide not to reopen the premises, and instead look to transform it into housing.

“We rely on volume trade, but every time the pandemic restrictions were lifted, we couldn’t have had more than 70 people, and we would never have made money like that,” Mr Woods explained.

“It wasn’t financially viable for us to reopen. It was impossible.

“A lot of pubs do food now, and there are very few drink-led ones. It’s hard to compete unless you repurpose it, and it’s too big to turn into a restaurant, and too small for other things.

“It’s a facility that’s definitely gone. A few people have said ‘are you not going to open?’ and I understand the sentiment, but it’s got to be financially viable.”

The site has been put forward for inclusion in Canterbury City Council’s next Local Plan, which will act as its house-building blueprint until 2040.

Mr Woods bought the Rodney’s in 2002, but sold it to its current owner, Tim Watters, six years later. Mr Woods managed the premises from 2009.

The sports bar had dozens of regulars and was at its busiest for football games, drawing as many as 350 punters for World Cup showings.

It closed when the country was first plunged into lockdown in March 2020 – but continued to sit empty when restrictions were relaxed.

When asked if the pub will reopen, Mr Woods said: “From what I understand it’s not going to reopen.

“There are no options other than flats, and it’s not viable as a pub anymore.”

Mr Woods plans to turn his attentions to breeding German Shepherds, adding “serving people alcohol is the last thing on my mind now”.

Archives show the Rodney’s dates back to the 1800s, with the earliest clipping found for the pub in KentOnline's sister publication, the Kentish Gazette, is dated January 1845.

Mr Watters was approached for comment.