SPECULATION over the future of a Cardigan town centre has been dismissed by its owners.

Fears the town was to lose another of its long-established watering holes have grown since the Saddlers Arms in High Street closed its doors.

The pub has been run for some 15 years by 59-year-old landlord Dennis James.

Regulars had been told the licensee was retiring from the trade and the future of the pub was uncertain.

In recent times other town centre pubs such as the Ship Inn and the Commercial have ceased trading and the closure of the Saddlers appeared to indicate another hostelry had called time.

However, a spokesman for Wolverhampton-based brewery Marston’s said “Dennis James has been very poorly and we have had to close the pub.”

In response to the growing speculation that the pub would no reopen, the spokesman said: “What I can say is that this is a temporary measure and I intend to meet Mr James shortly.”

Mr James was unavailable for comment.