The leaseholds of all three Ashwell pubs are changing hands amid concern over the viability of pubs in the village.

The Rose & Crown, the Three Tuns and The Bushel & Strike are all expecting new landlords after high rents and expensive barrelage are thought to have made leaseholds unsustainable for tenants.

All three pubs are owned by national breweries - The Rose & Crown and The Three Tuns are Greene-King pubs, while The Bushel and Strike is managed by Wells & Co.

A spokesperson for Wells and Co said: "The current operators of the Bushel and Strike pub have given notice on their tenancy and we will be looking for a replacement tenant. We are committed to ensuring this much loved pub can continue to be enjoyed by its loyal customers."

Christine Schwick, former Ashwell parish councillor and landlord for The Rose and Crown until 2007, said that charges for barrelage are "much higher than expected by a freeholder," and "the current prices are unfair for a tenant".

Amid rumours that Greene King is considering developing the The Three Tuns into housing, a spokesperson said: "There has been no decision to sell the pub. It is open and trading as usual."

In August this year, Greene King was sold to Hong Kong property company CKA in a £4.6 billion deal.