Cotswold pub the Air Balloon to serve final pint on New Year’s Eve

A historic pub in Gloucestershire is being demolished to make way for the upgrade of the A417 at Birdlip.

The Chef and Brewer pub will serve its final pint on 31 December. The Air Balloon is set to be demolished as part of a £460 million project to improve the A417 at Birdlip, which is a notorious accident black spot.

Writing on Facebook earlier this month, the pub, which is over 200 years old said: “We have loved serving you all over the years but safely the time has come where the pub will be closing in order to make way for the new road.

“Our final day will be New Year’s Eve, when we are closing at 5pm…. We want to say thank you to everyone who has already messaged us or spoken to us to pass on their best wishes to all of the team.”

The Air Balloon was originally two ale houses and provided for the needs of the travellers before the days of licensing.

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