A WITNEY landlord who threatened to close if trade didn’t pick up said there were 50 per cent more visitors over the Easter weekend.

Mark Wates, who runs Nortons cafe-bar in Langdale Gate, said last month he may close if he didn’t have a successful bank holiday weekend.

But he said 800 people came through the doors between Thursday and Sunday – a significant increase on weekend trade than a month ago.

Mr Wates, who said warmer weather in the past few weeks had already boosted his business, said yesterday: “Things have picked up really nicely.

“The sun has come out and it has been absolutely brilliant. We’ve had new faces coming down and older clientele are coming back.”

Mr Wates previously said the closure of Market Square nightclub iZi’s in September had led to many young people going to Oxford for nights out.

But he said: “We had a lot of youngsters saying there’s not a lot going on in Witney and I agree but we had a fantastic weekend with a great atmosphere.

“It always will be a good night if people support us, but if they don’t then it will shut.”