and I'll puff and I'll close the public house down

This is the unique sign outside our local. The proper name is The Mother Huff Cap.
The name deriving from the days when most pubs brewed their own beer, Huff Cap being a 16th century term for a strong ale which would "huf ones cap" or make the head swell, not for the froth on the top of the beer as is sometimes stated.The 'mother' is likely to be the dame who brewed the beer and managed the public house.

The news about the Mother Huff Cap has caused even more distress than the road works have this week.
As LooseCanon has mentioned in previous Blips, this is the place to be on a Friday evening if you're in with the (village) in crowd. We refer to it as "Huffing".
You cannot Huff just anywhere. We did have a pseudo Huff when we were in the Dolomites (LooseCanon, Technophobe, Nikonabike, 2 non-Blippers and myself) but that was because quite a large percentage of the village was there (well there were 6 of us).
However we can Huff no longer.
A sign went up this week which reads "Unfortunately the Pub will be closed until further notice. Thanks" and a second notice reads "Deliveries - Pls call xxxxxxx if pub empty".

I'm afraid that I had to break the news to LooseCanon and Technophobe by text message as they are in Keswick. What a way to find out!

It's very sad as this is the only pub in the village, and has been a great place to socialise. A few years ago it was an extremely popular place, full most evenings and bursting at the seams at weekends. The word on the street right now in more than hushed whispers is "bad management". Allegedly.

It's tragic for the staff, some of whom lived at the premises and are now jobless and homeless presumably.

We know no more.
Except of course that it's Friday evening and we can't go Huffing.
This evening I think we're going to go Heading to the pub in the next village, the King's Head.