USE it or lose it. That’s the message to drinkers living near one of Didcot’s most historic neighbourhood pubs.

The Sprat, in Hagbourne Road, thought to date back to 1874, has been sold to Oxfordshire property developer Brian Jezzard by Enterprise Inns.

Licensee Paul French said: “There have been rumours in the town over the past few months about The Sprat closing, but it’s premature to say that at this stage. If more people use The Sprat then it is more likely to stay open.”

Mr French, who also runs the Broadways pub in Broadway and has run The Sprat for about 20 years, said the pub faced challenges along with other county pubs.

He said: “When we first took over The Sprat it was packed out but trading conditions have become quite tough in recent years. The Sprat is a backstreet pub and does not get as much passing trade as a pub like Broadways.”

The Oxford Mail also reported this month that brewer Greene King is looking to knock down Didcot’s Waterwich pub for flats. The firm has branded the Cockcroft Road pub “unviable”.

Mr French said: “Supermarkets selling discount alcohol are the biggest problem.

“People drink at home with the beer they have bought in the supermarket and then come out for the last couple of hours.That means pubs are having to stay open later just to get the trade.”

Mr Jezzard said: “I bought the pub as a pure investment and I haven’t decided what to do with it yet – I have no immediate plans.”

Pub regular Bruce Hay, 58, said: “This is one of the few community facilities around and it would be a shame if it did close.”

The pub started out as The Railway Inn and was renamed The Sprat after railway workers cooked sprats, a type of fish, on the pub fire.

The pub sign shows a chimney sweep because ‘sprat’ was once slang for chimney-sweep.

Vicky Averis, a spokesman for Enterprise Inns, said: “I can confirm that Enterprise Inns has sold the pub.”

Greene King last month closed the Fitzharris Arms in Thornhill Walk, Abingdon. The pub, open since the 1950s, is boarded up and Tesco intends to open an Express store within the building.