THE landlady of the Royal Oak pub in Platts Common has been left reeling - after the company which owns the pub announced 'out of the blue' that it is selling it.

Liz Hirst has leased the pub from Punch Taverns for the past ten years and lives in a flat above it but now the pub is being sold to a London-based company called New River Retail.

Liz said: "The news that it's being sold came out of the blue and we don't know what's happening apart from the sale is going through on September 11. They haven't given us a reason."

The Chronicle contacted New River Retail but a spokesperson was not available for comment. 

** The full stoy is in the Barnsley Chronicle newspaper, dated September 4. **