The owners of a historic pub in Muirkirk have said it is not for sale, and that a listing is due to a "technical error".

We reported overt the weekend how The Coach House Inn, on Furnace Road, was listed for sale through specialist business retailers, Bruce & Co.

Despite the business's listing, the owners have moved to assure regulars that there are no plans to sell up.

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Frank Bone, who has been in charge of the pub since 2006, said that he and his wife had once planned to sale the pub, but then changed their minds a few years ago.

After looking to have the listing of the pub, which dates back to the 1700s, removed, they were surprised to see the publicity that its apparent sale had received.

Frank said: "I had a conversation about taking The Coach House Inn off the market, because my wife and I had changed our minds about wanting to sell.

"Bruce & Co asked if they could keep it on the market and they would let me know if there would be any interest.

"I've seen that it's listed on a business page as for sale, but I don't want it on there so it must be some kind of technical error.

"It's been off the market for at least nine months, so that's why I was surprised to see that it was apparently still for sale."

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Frank added: "I just want to assure our regulars and all the people who come in that it's not for sale.

"I'm from Muirkirk and I know what it's like in a wee village when news spreads like that, so I just want to set the records straight that we're not selling.

"I'm very straightforward with people, and if we were planning to sell then I'd let people know before it was posted anywhere."