Iconic Air Balloon pub on A417 closes for good

The Air Balloon, in Birdlip, has served its final pint ahead of its demolition.

It will make way for a £460m road scheme described as the 'missing link' on the A417 in Gloucestershire.

Ahead of the final day of opening, New Year’s eve (December 31), staff at the pub took to Facebook to share a parting message.

It read: “Dear friend/guest, we would like to thank you all for the support and kind words since we made our announcement that we will close our doors on New Year’s eve.

“Since we made this announcement, we have become very busy and we are sad to say we are now fully booked so will not be able to take any walk in tables.

“We are happy for people to stop for a drink in the bar area but this is very limited space so please be understanding and kind to our staff if we cannot accommodate your party.

“Once again thank you all for your support.”

READ MORE: Air Balloon pub, familiar to many in Worcestershire , says farewell

The Air Balloon opened for the final time on New Year's eve (Image: SWNS)

The pub opened in 1784 and is said to be named after one of the first British balloon flights, by Edward Jenner on September 2, 1784.

Sat on a roundabout that connects Gloucester with Cirencester, Swindon, and Oxford, the pub will have been seen by thousands making their way across the country.

Tarun Patel, who dined at the Air Balloon on its final day, said: “Our favourite pub. We had our final meal there at lunchtime today.

“Staff were amazing as it was really busy.

“Best of luck to you all and thank you for so many memories over the years we've also been bringing our kids there since they were born and still in nappies."

The pub is set to be demolished for road improvements (Image: SWNS)

The junction where the Air Balloon is located has grown a reputation over the year for crashes, sparking calls for an upgrade.

The ‘missing link’ project will bypass this roundabout to improve traffic flow.

Paul Noakes set up a Facebook group on December 19 in a bid to save the pub.

He said: “This is a last-ditch attempt to save the Air Balloon and have it moved to a location nearby and save a bit of local history… History which is disappearing from our countryside.”

Many have called on MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown to save the pub (Image: SWNS)

Now at 100 members, many in the group have called on the area’s MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown to do something.

However, Sir Geoffrey branded the ‘missing link’ project "fantastic news" when it was announced.

He told the BBC: "It will bring growth and investment to Gloucestershire, more jobs, less environmental damage from stationary cars, and it will improve safety."