BURY’S second oldest pub has been saved — for now.

Last week, The Bury Times reported The Gamecock Inn, in Rochdale Old Road, was up for sale and The Mulberry Bush nursery chain wanted to buy it.

Now, Mulberry Bush bosses have confirmed they have withdrawn that offer, to the joy of pub regulars.

Staff and customers at the pub, which opened in the 1890s and lies opposite the entrance to Fairfield Hospital, have expressed their delight at the news.

But they may have to get ready for another fight as another firm has entered the race.

John Drennan, who runs the pub, said: “Everyone is delighted. We can breath easily for a while. But we know the pub is still on the market and any company could come in and put in an offer, and then we’d have to begin our battle all over again.”

Mulberry Bush director Paul Robinson said: “We have withdrawn our offer and we are no longer interested in this site as we are turning our attentions to another site.”

A spokesman for Punch Taverns, which owns the pub, said: “We can confirm that the Gamecock is still on the market and we are in advanced discussions with a potential purchaser.”

Mr Drennan said: “In a strange way, the Mulberry Bush bid gave us a wake-up call in that we realised our brilliant and popular pub could be taken away from us.

“We’ve held meetings and discussed tactics for trying to keep the pub as it is. It makes money and is a social hub, so why change it?”

Mr Drennan said he and pub regulars were looking into legal redress which they could make use of to preserve the pub, due to its historical significance in Bury. Only the Two Tubs, in the town centre, is older, having been built in the early 18th century when it was called The Globe.