A LANDLORD says it is an “honour” after his pub was chosen to become a listed building.

The Wheatsheaf, on Mill Lane, Sutton Leach, has been given the status by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

The news that the pub is now a protected building deliver as a boost to the town’s pub heritage following closures and demolitions of buildings such as the Hope and Anchor on City Road and The Black Horse at Moss Bank.

The grade II listing follows an inspection by Historic England of the premises and is part of an effort to recognise some of the best pubs built in the country during the interwar years between 1918 and 1939.

“It is quite an honour to be honest and it means a lot as it protects the building,” said Philip Banks, who has been the landlord at the pub for 21 years, along with his wife Jane who is landlady.

“I’m led to believe it is the only interwar pub in Merseyside in its original state.”

The pub retains its outside bowling green and was built with each individual room serving a different purpose. These include a smoke room, dining room and buffet room.

“They all offered something different to serve the public community. In the Victorian era pubs were described as ‘houses of the devil’ and in order to build one of these interwar pubs the magistrates usually had three smaller pubs to be sacrificed to build one and they were designed to offer something different.

“We have put local history photos all along and it is full of antique bric-a-brac,” added Philip.

One of the pub’s quirky characteristics is the effect of mining subsidence, meaning there is not a straight wall or floor in the house.

“So many pubs have been closed down so for one to be left alone is quite a rare thing nowadays.”