DRINKERS are demanding an historic city pub reopens.

The Radcliffe Arms, in Jericho, has closed after a Thai food venture failed to find favour with local drinkers.

Former regulars of the pub – nicknamed ‘The Raddy’ – are now hoping brewers Scottish & Newcastle will appoint a new licensee, or a temporary manager.

Prasong Suppadungchon closed the Cranham Street pub last month after running it for a year.

Part of the pub, once owned by the city council, was made into a Thai restaurant, but Mr Suppadungchon has decided to close to concentrate on running Monkey & Me, a restaurant in London, and the Old Tom pub, in St Aldate’s, Oxford.

He said: “The pub was taking up lots of my energy and I want to concentrate on my other businesses. It shut about a month ago and I will not be reopening it.

“The Old Tom is in a better position, because it gets a lot of passing trade, including tourists.”

Pub-goer Dr Nigel Hiscock, of Great Clarendon Street, said: “The Thai food was slowly taking off and some of the crowd who came in to watch football were starting to order meals.

“But one of the main problems was that local trade was not catered for properly. The heating broke down during the cold spell earlier this year and people were sitting around in their overcoats.

“If they can’t find a new licensee, they could appoint a temporary manager or sell the pub.”

Adrian Arbib, 48, a member of the Jericho Community Association, said: “When the Radcliffe Infirmary development is finished there will be more trade, but by then it could be too late.

“People need to write to the brewery and lobby them to reopen the pub. They can also lobby their councillors.”

Jericho councillor Colin Cook said: “The Radcliffe Arms is a good community pub where you can go and have a chat.

“I hope it won’t be closed for too long. It’s one of the last pubs in Jericho, and we don’t want to get to the stage where there aren’t any left.

“There should be enough trade in the Jericho area to keep a pub like that going, particularly if it is offering food.”

In May, the Campaign for Real Ale estimated there were 698 pubs in Oxfordshire and that 68 had closed in the past five years.

The Radcliffe Arms dates back to the late 1860s, when workmen’s cottages replaced allotments.

Jericho once boasted 24 pubs but the only survivors are the Old Bookbinders Ale House in Victor Street, the Harcourt Arms in Cranham Terrace, the Jericho Tavern in Walton Street, Jude the Obscure in Walton Street, and the Victoria Arms in Walton Street.

No-one from Scottish & Newcastle was available for comment.