A PUB popular with Oxford United fans has suddenly closed.

Landlord of The Priory Tim Rackley said he and his staff were ‘thrown out’ by owner Firoz Kassam for accruing debts.

Mr Rackley said Mr Kassam had rejected his plea to keep him in place on reduced terms.

He said he was living in the building and was ordered to move out on May 31. His staff, also living in the Grade II listed pub, were ordered to leave yesterday.

He added the pub’s rent was £1,000 a week, but it only took about £50 on non-match days. Any profit would go to Mr Rackley, but he said debts had mounted over several years.

The 46-year-old, who has run the pub since 2004, said: “The decision was pretty cold but he is a businessman and that is what makes him successful.

“It’s been a massive part of so many lives and we are gutted.

“The problem is when there is no football on; during the Olympic season we had 16 weeks without football, and it kills you.”

He said the arrival of London Welsh rugby club, which used the Kassam Stadium as its home ground last season, gave a small boost but quickly died off.

An on-going row between the pub and Oxford City Council over the use of a marquee in the pub grounds to serve more beer also contributed to its demise, he added.

He said: “We owed about £12,000 and have tried to pay everyone off; we’ve paid all the little companies off but have been unable to pay the larger ones, and unfortunately we ran out of cash.”

A chalkboard reading ‘closed’ currently blocks the door.

The pub’s Aunt Sally and darts teams now have to find a new home.

Aunt Sally captain Dan Rawlings said: “We are devastated.”

Mark Stennett, chairman of U’s supporters club OxVox, said: “We are hugely saddened by the closure of The Priory.

“Tim has done a fantastic job in getting the pub going and creating a fantastic atmosphere.

“We are now looking to Firoka to tell us what they are going to do with it. We hope that a resolution can be found.”

Oxford United refused to comment when approached.

According the Land Registry, Mr Kassam’s company Firoka is the registered owner of the land, and Mr Kassam is the landlord.

A spokesman for Mr Kassam said: “It is not something we will comment on.”