Suffolk pub Walnut Tree on Vodafone phone number issue

Jan Wise, who runs The Walnut Tree at Thwaite, near Eye, said several of her customers believe she has shut down as the old landline number no longer connects.

Mrs Wise has been in charge of the vegetarian eatery for six years and is frustrated at the telecommunications giant, particularly as she has opened a new shop at the pub.

She also revealed all printed material advertising her business – including flyers and leaflets – no longer display her current phone number.

As a result, she has had customers come into the business, on the main road between Ipswich and Norwich, and question why her phone line no longer works.

Mrs Wise has criticised Vodafone for switching the Suffolk pub's number (Image: Denise Bradley)

Mrs Wise says she was assured by Vodafone that The Walnut Tree's original number would be kept when she moved to a different contract in early August.

However, she said the old number has now been taken over by Openreach – and there is no way for her to get it back.

She said: "When my contract came up for renewal, Vodafone offered me a good deal. At no point did anyone say I would lose my number.

"I did stress that my number wouldn't be changed, and I was assured it wouldn't.

"We've been open for six years and had the same number the whole time.

The Walnut Tree pub in Thwaite (Image: Denise Bradley)

"It's a bit of a disaster. Vodafone are refusing to get the number back for us as it has been taken over by Openreach. 

"They said they had tried to get it back, but it had already been taken.

"I've had several panicked calls from some of our customers. This is not really good enough.

"We're going to have to start again – some of our customers will think we've gone out of business."

Vodafone was approached for comment.