TWO Broadstairs boozers were shut suddenly last week.

About a dozen staff turned up for work at The Charles Dickens and The Prince Albert on Thursday only to find themselves locked out as owner Adrian Howson-Ball notified employees of the closures.

Many still had possessions inside their former workplaces, so Mr Howson-Ball temporarily opened the doors to allow workers to collect their things.

Former owner Frank Thorley bought the Charles Dickens in 1975 as a free house.

It was his first Thanet tavern and in its heyday it traded more than 1,400 barrels a day.

Mr Thorley said: "It's very sad to see it go that way. If I was being generous, I would say it's looking tired. The pub needs a big capital injection.

"Unfortunately, it's a sign of the times. The problem for investors is that it is a tied house, which complicates it."

Tied houses are pubs which are required to buy drinks from particular suppliers as opposed to free houses which can purchase freely.

In recent years, many tied pubs have struggled amid concern over uncompetitive prices and restricted choice for consumers.

When asked about the likelihood of returning the Charles Dickens to the Thorley portfolio, Frank admitted earlier this year he was "toying" with the idea of buying back the pub.

He said: "It's possible that something could be done but it's too early to say."

According to Camra, two pubs are closing every day in the UK due to the rises in duty and VAT, cheap supermarket promotions and the credit crunch piling the pressure on publicans.

In Broadstairs three town centre pubs are on the market.

At the time of going to press, Mr Howson-Ball was unavailable for comment.