A POPULAR town centre pub has closed unexpectedly.

The Fleece, in Richmond, which had a late licence to operate until 3.30am, shut last week after opening on New Year's Eve.

It is understood staff arrived at work to find the pub had stopped trading.

The venue held regular discos at the weekend and was popular with the town's younger drinkers.

The pub is owned by Stonegate Pub Company, which runs more than 600 venues across the UK.

A spokesman for the company confirmed the pub had shut, but declined to give any reason or comment on the future of the premises.

The building is grade-two listed and was designed by renowned Darlington architect George Gordon Hoskins, who also drew up the plans for Middlesbrough Town Hall and the Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College in Darlington.

Richmond councillor Stuart Parsons was critical of the pub's owners, saying they only opened at the weekend to extract as much money as possible from the local economy.

"They didn't spend any money on what is a fabulous building," he added.

"Hopefully it will be taken on by people who will show a little more social responsibility."

The pub's website and Facebook page are no longer visible.