A pub owner says he is refusing to give up on reopening his town centre site despite the building remaining empty since the pandemic. The John Wallis in Middle Row, Ashford, closed more than four years ago when the first Covid lockdown hit in March 2020. Since then, it has gone on the market at a rent price of £45,000 per year but has remained boarded up this year. However, owner Shen Sen, who bought the former Man of Kent site at auction for £350,000 in 2017, is optimistic the pub can trade again soon. “The place is just sitting there and doing nothing while costing me money,” he said. “It’s …