A pub which remained open for two months following the co-owner’s death has now shut.

The Walnut Tree in Yalding had continued trading while two other venues, co-owned by David House, closed immediately after he died.

However, on Wednesday (April 17), a post from the manager Kate Brown on Facebook, announced the pub’s closure.

It said: “Due to unforeseen circumstances as of this morning (April 17) The Walnut Tree has unfortunately had to close.

“Not the outcome we had wanted but it was out of our hands.”

The manager, who KentOnline has approached for a comment, added that she did not have any other information but said it was “very sad to see it shut” and hoped it wouldn’t be for “too long”.

The post was met by a flood of comments from customers saying they were “heartbroken” and praising the team for keeping things “afloat” over the last couple of months.

“As a village we must do everything we can to make sure the Walnut Tree remains as a pub and reopens soon,” another commented.

Built in 1492, The Walnut Tree is a former Kentish Yeoman’s house turned beer house in the nineteenth century.

The village, which used to have four pubs, now has one – The Boathouse in Yalding.

David House ran the Chequers Inn, in Aylesford and the Amherst Inn in Seal, Sevenoaks, which both closed in February after he died following a battle with cancer.

One of the family’s other sites, The Hengist, also in Aylesford, closed suddenly in December, leading to several employees being owed thousands of pounds in wages.

The Hengist now has a new owner who said he hoped to reopen the venue next month.

Kieron Khory-Davinson plans to completely refurbish the 16th-century property while retaining its historical features.