A PUB and restaurant have been put up for sale because trade declined too much during the recession.

Phil Day, owner of the Freemasons Arms and Samrab Thai Restaurant, said he could not keep the businesses going.

“It’s just been so bad,” he said.

“We’re busy Friday and Saturday, but in the rest of the week there’s hardly any trade around.”

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Mr Day took over the Freemasons Arms more than four years ago.

He opened the Samrab Thai Restaurant in part of the building in Silkmill Street, Knutsford.

For the first few years business was good.

But during recent months the credit crunch has affected customer numbers.

“Times are hard,” said Mr Day.

“We’ve not been doing that well. I’ve hardly paid myself any wages to keep it going.”

The pub and restaurant used to attract contractors staying in hotels in the town.

But Mr Day said even that business had declined during the recession.

“The contractors used to be in the town for five or six months,” he said.

“But there’s been a downturn in the number of contractors who are staying.”

Mr Day could not reveal exactly how much business had gone down by.

But he said the reduction in trade and increases in costs had forced him to act.

On Monday Mr Day said other reasons had also convinced him to put the lease up for sale.

One of the main things was he wanted to look after his mother, who has dementia.

Mr Day said he also wanted to have a break.

“I haven’t had a holiday for four years or had much chance to do things around the house,” he said.

“I’ll reassess my situation once I get the affairs of the restaurant sorted out.”

There has already been interest in the Freemasons Arms and the Thai restaurant.

Both businesses will remain open until a new owner can be found.

Mr Day said he would miss running the businesses and meeting customers.

But he said he could not continue running the pub and restaurant in the current economic climate.

“I made a lot of friends in Knutsford and enjoyed people coming in for a chat,” he said.

“But there comes a time when I’ve got to say enough is enough.”