A pub in Rickmansworth has not been put up for sale for a second time, a Wetherspoon spokesperson has said.

Reports that the pub giant is closing 16 pubs across the UK, including The Pennsylvanian in Rickmansworth High Street, is "fake news", the Observer has been told.

A list of 16 pubs reported in some national and local media yesterday is identical to a list that was published in April 2019.

Last year, Wetherspoon's said those pubs, including The Pennyslvanian, had been put on the market following a "commercial decision taken by the company taken after long consideration".

But in September, Wetherspoon said the Rickmansworth town centre pub had been taken off the market because the company decided it should remain a Wetherspoon outlet.

After reports resurfaced yesterday that 16 Wetherspoon pubs were at risk of closing, a spokesperson said: "This is fake news – not sure how the story resurfaced but it is not true."

Wetherspoon is reopening all of its pubs from 8am this Saturday after the Prime Minister gave the green light for pubs and restaurants to reopen on what is being dubbed as 'Super Saturday'.