UK's unluckiest pub? Car ploughs into Swan Inn in Ashford hours before planned lockdown reopening

A landlord has spoken of his devastation after a car ploughed into his pub hours before he was due to reopen as lockdown restrictions eased.

Ray Perkins was due to host 200 guests throughout “Super Saturday” at The Swan Inn, in Little Chart, Ashford, Kent.

But at around 2am on Saturday the car veered off the road that lines the 15th century pub.

The crash smashed a large hole in its side, surrounded by rubble.

Pubs, restaurants and cafes have thrown open their doors this morning after more than three months shuttered, with industry leaders warning many may go under.

The Swan said on its Facebook page: "So 2am this morning the beautiful Swan was destroyed.

"Angry, devastated doesn’t describe it! Can’t go in as structure is now unsound."

Owner Ray Perkins said he was asleep above the pub when the crash happened - and had a rude awakening.

“We were asleep when the car came into the side of the pub. It was 2am,” he told Kent Online.

"We weren't hurt but with all the dust the smoke alarms were going off. It was a shock. We are very upset; the pub has a huge gaping hole in it.

“We're now trying to work out if we can still open. We had 200 people booked to come into the garden today.

"We do have a big garden, with marquees set up, so hopefully people can still go there and we can deliver drinks.

"We're waiting for the structural engineers to visit to let us know."

In a later Facebook post pub staff said they hoped to open at midday today, adding: "The show must go on."

Police have not yet issued confirmation on how many people were in the car, and if they sustained any injuries.

In February 2017, a woman was taken to hospital with head injuries after a van hit the same pub's wall - then under a different landlord.

The British Beer and Pub Association warned on Friday that 18,000 pubs - 40 per cent of the total - could be lost by the end of this year if “reasonable” trade does not resume immediately.

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