The landlady of an historic Bradford city centre pub has launched a campaign to save it from closure.

Audrey Coyne is appealing for 150,000 people to pledge £1 so she can buy the Boy & Barrel, in Westgate, to preserve it for future generations.

The pub’s owners Punch Taverns have put the building up for sale but Miss Coyne said prospective buyers had shown no interest in retaining the pub and most wanted to turn the building into a restaurant.

“The Boy & Barrel belongs to the people of Bradford and should always remain a pub,” said Miss Coyne. “I drank in there when I was young and one of my customers is 89 and has been coming every lunchtime for the last 60 years.

“It is not a listed building but it is a heritage pub and I believe it is one of the oldest in Bradford.”

The building has retained many historic features including Minton tiled walls and floors, and individual wooden booths with their own service bells.

Miss Coyne, who took over as landlady in May, said she had traced the pub back to the 1800s and had seen evidence to suggest it had been in existence as early as 1640.

She said the Boy & Barrel had been allowed to become run down.

“I’m absolutely disgusted with the way Punch Taverns has looked after this building,” she said.

Anyone who contributes £1 towards the initial purchase price of the pub and buys a drink there will receive a voucher for a free drink to be used on their second visit.

The renovation work will be funded by Miss Coyne, who also hopes to secure grants.

John Bell, the branch secretary of Bradford Campaign for Real Ale, said Camra was very supportive of what Miss Coyne was trying to achieve. “It is an old pub and it has had quite a part to play in Bradford’s history,” he said.

A spokesman for Punch Taverns said the company always preferred pubs to continue trading as pubs but it regularly reviewed its estate and marketed sites which it though might better fulfil their potential under different ownership. The spokesman added: “The Boy & Barrel does require investment but the level of investment required would mean a return that the projected sales in this pub cannot support.

“It’s very positive that our current tenant is looking at options to put in an offer and this would absolutely be considered.”

Miss Coyne, previously landlady at the Newby Square in Bolling Old Lane, is setting up a website to promote her campaign.

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