A PUB closure leaves a huge biking community without a suitable venues for future post-Covid events, bikers who love the site fear.

Motorbike fanatics had gathered in huge numbers at the Dick Turpin Pub off the A127 in Wickford for years but now as the building is boarded up they say it’s a huge loss

Rumours were circulating of demolition after Greene King bosses confirmed the total closure earlier this month, but the chain says this is not the case.

Adam Ball, 45, of Southend Shakedown Resurrection committee said this has caused great sadness to the bikers.

He said: “It’s such a sad state of affairs as it was a major venue for bikers and we don’t have many places like this to meet.

“When we come out of the Covid pandemic we will really have nowhere else like this to hold events.

“It used to get lots of bikers and so it’s a real loss to our community.

“I hope it stays as a pub and we can move past this sad time. This is so well known as a good place to meet lik-minded people.

“It was somewhere to meet and talking about issues, our passion and events and spread the word.

“It will not be easy to find somewhere else like this.”

Greene King bosses say the Dick Turpin Pub off the A127 in Wickford is not set to be demolished - but gave no other information on future plans.

It comes after fencing and signs were spotted around the site, which closed officially early this month after shutting its doors at the start of the pandemic..

Residents from across the community say it would be a huge loss.

Fellow biker Richard Greenstead, 51, of Wickford said: “Dick Turpin has been a biker and vehicle meet site for years now and this is a real shame.

“Especially after this pandemic everyone will crave that social aspect of life and we’ve lost part of that here. I don’t know of any other sites as good, staff were also so welcoming to us too.”