Businessman claimed he wanted village pub to stay open. Then he took over and shut it

Johnny Jones, pictured outside the Corn Exchange in Gilwern, is among those who feel let down after a developer's U-turn (Image: Conor Gogarty)

Regulars at the Corn Exchange were surprised when they saw the Facebook post backing their campaign to keep the pub open. They could not remember ever seeing the author of the impassioned post – a local developer called Robert Evans – spend time at the much-loved boozer in the village of Gilwern, Monmouthshire , but his support was welcome all the same.

"I've been going to this pub and [it has served] my family for over 50 years," wrote Mr Evans, 60, who runs a firm named Property Wealth Management. "It was built as a pub and should remain a pub."

The Corn Exchange was under threat from a planning application to replace it with four flats