MUCH loved Stroud publicans Lotte Lyster and Miles Connolly were inundated with messages of support after revealing their financial struggles in a BBC documentary aired last night.

Lotte and Miles, who run the Prince Albert in Rodborough, featured on Saving Britain's Pubs with Tom Kerridge, which highlighted some of the difficulties currently faced by pub landlords.

The couple explained how they are struggling to survive due to being tied into an arrangement that obliges them to buy beer at above-market prices from the company which owns the pub.

After the show was broadcast, Lotte and Miles received hundreds of messages from well wishers.

One person posted on Facebook: "What an eye opener into how tough the industry is and how greedy the pub companies are."

And another wrote: "It was a great program. How do any tied pubs make money?"

One person commented: "I was horrified at how you have to pay £30 more than a freehold pub for a barrel of Stroud Brewery Beer."

And another said: "How you have kept going under the circumstances is a credit to who you are. Never give up."

Lotte replied: "So many lovely messages, emails, Twitter and phone calls. We would like to say a massive thank you to you all."

In the first episode, screened last night, Tom Kerridge, a Michelin-starred chef, brought his hospitality industry know-how to three struggling hostelries, in Stroud, South London and Cornwall.

The pub industry is facing huge problems, Tom noted, with the UK having lost a quarter of its pubs since the turn of the millennium, which means 14,000 have closed down.

He headed to Rodborough to visit the Prince Albert, which is well known as a lively and colourful music venue and community hub, with a fiercely loyal clientele.

On the face of it the pub is hugely successful and Lotte and Miles are doing everything right, but as they spoke with Tom, it became clear that narrow profit margins were making their position untenable.

As the Albert is a tied-pub, Lotte and Miles have to buy beer through the pub company that owns the building. Lots of other pubs in the area are freehold, which means they are paying much less for the same products. To stay competitive, Lotte and Miles have to reduce their profit margins to keep their drink prices in line with the other pubs.

Tom advised Lotte and Miles to try putting up their beer prices, and to rein in some of their generosity towards the bands that perform at the pub. Lotte and Miles had been paying bands 10 per cent of gig night's takings.

The couple hadn't seen the whole show, until last night.

"We were absolutely blown away how well put together it was," said Lotte.

"And we're really pleased to be part of it."

Lotte said she found herself at tears, hearing about the plight of the other publicans featured in the show.

This week's episode was only the start of Tom's words of wisdom.

And although they would not be drawn on what happens in future episodes, and how and if Tom manages to turn things around at the pub, Lotte did say: “The first episode is probably the least important episode, it gets better and better."

Tune into Saving's Britain's Pubs with Tom Kerridge at 8pm - 9pm every Thursday night on BBC Two.