IT SURVIVED two world wars and witnessed the Industrial Revolution.

It even has a longer history than the Bank of England.

But after about 400 years of there being a pub on the site of the Crown and Thistle, Greene King has decided to close it.

The brewery, which owns the Headington pub, will not be renewing its licence because it deems it “unviable” and it will be closing down on New Year’s Eve.

But the firm has not confirmed what the future of the pub will be.

Landlord Steve Nicholls, who says he wanted to stay on at the pub, said all he had been told was it would be closing.

He said: “We will be going out with a bang.

“It is the only pub on this estate and with its history I don’t think they should be allowed to close it.”

The present building dates back to the 1800s but before that the site at the corner of Old Road and Titup Hall Drive was home to a coaching inn for about 200 years.

Called Titup Hall, the inn was on the only route from Oxford to London and was the departure point for the first coach to reach the capital in a day from the city in 1669.

Tony Goulding, of the Oxford branch of the Campaign for Real Ale, said: “The Crown and Thistle has got some history and it is a shame that any estate should lose its pub.

“We would welcome it if Greene King sold it on as a pub because there is still the chance to make it pay, given the right conditions.”

Last month Greene King was blamed for the closure of two of East Hendred’s three pubs because of high rent and beer prices.

Peter Thompson, of Oxford Civic Society, said: “It is regrettable when institutions with such a long history are forced to close.

“At the end of the day a pub is a commercial venture and if it doesn’t have enough customers there is not much point in protecting it.”

A Greene King spokesman said: “After a considerable review we have taken the decision to close the Crown and Thistle pub when the current licensee leaves.

“Our decision has not been taken lightly but is due to extensive licensing restrictions and a very low number of customers, making it unviable as a public house.

“We’re unable to confirm our future plans at present.”