Landlords have called time after 18 years running a city centre pub. Regulars of the Lord Nelson in Brighton sipped a final pint pulled by the hands of landlords Graham and Ros Boyd on Saturday night.

Scores of customers came to the pub in Trafalgar Street to pay their respects, and their tabs, to the long-serving pair.

Mr Boyd said he was |humbled by the turnout but also issued a warning for the future of pubs at the heart of communities.

The pair had been at the Lord Nelson for 18 years and before that they were in charge of the London Unity in Islingword Road, Brighton, for nine years.

Mr Boyd said: “It was extremely humbling that so many people came to give us a send-off.

“We are definitely not retiring but we are looking to move on.

“We are going to take some time out and look to pick up something. Rather than going to work for ourselves we will look to work for somebody, hopefully in Brighton, but not necessarily a pub.”

Mr Boyd said his decision to step down had been influenced by “the changing face of the industry” in which it had become “increasingly difficult” to get by.

He added: “We are asked to take on a lot of social and legal responsibility and the rewards are just not there.

“The business rates are astronomical and the cost of a drink is so expensive people can’t go out and socialise and so they are staying at home to drink.

“The industry needs to a look at the way it rents out its properties and charges for its beer.

“Everywhere else is looking to emulate the great British pub and we are closing them down.”

Adrian “Beefy” King, a regular at the pub for 30 years, said: “It’s the end of an era and the Nelson will be very different now they are gone.

“Running a pub you have to treat it as a stage and they definitely performed for punters.

“Graham is the only man I have ever seen who can pour four pints, two with one hand and two in the other.”