Popular pub announces sudden closure with events forced to cancel and future uncertain as owners share update

The Sun

24-05-2025

A BELOVED pub has closed down after struggling to find a new landlord.
The sudden closure of The Rolleston Arms in Swindon has left event organisers desperately searching for new venues.
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One claimed the pub had lost its licence "due to the actions of the local council and pub company", but that has since been debunked.
Swindon Borough Council confirmed The Rolleston Arms had not lost its licence and that the closure is temporary.
A spokesperson for Stonegate, the company that owns the pub, said: "The pub is currently closed until further notice while we look to recruit a new publican to run the premises.
'We're also going to be carrying out repair work to the site before it eventually reopens under a new publican, so it will be closed for a little while.'
Stonegate also echoed Swindon Borough Council and stressed that there was no issue with the licence.
This isn't the first time the pub has been closed, much to the woe of thirsty punters.
It's also seen several landlords come and go.
It was previously called Commercial Road Tavern and was run by Violet McLaren, who sold it in 2023.
It was taken over by Daniel Harrison, but by January 2024, it was boarded up.
In June that year, Charlotte Thornton and Craig Waters took over the venue.
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But they have since left the business.
In February this year, The Rolleston Arms was closed again due to "unforeseen issues" with the cellar cooling system.
The Sun has approached Stonegate for comment.
The Rolleston Arms is far from the only British pub struggling with the uncertain times of the hospitality industry.
A string of beloved pubs are closing their doors, with punters and landlords alike left heartbroken as pressures in the hospitality industry hit boiling point.
In East London, the historic Gun pub in Homerton has shut down after 160 years of service.
Once a bustling local favourite, the venue was brought back to life in 2014 following a major revamp by landlords Nick Stephens and his partner Hanna-Sinclair Stephens.
Despite surviving the Covid crunch thanks to a heroic crowdfunding campaign that raised over £30,000 in a single day, the couple say the pub has now become 'unsustainable'.
'It was hugely popular, but we just couldn't keep going,' Nick said.
'The capacity was only 90 — the numbers just didn't add up anymore.'
Meanwhile, in Nottingham, The Emerald, a vibrant Indian pub and sports bar, has also called time, just two years after opening.
Dubbed a 'labour of love' by its owners, The Emerald quickly became a community favourite for curry lovers and cricket fans alike.
But behind the scenes, soaring costs and the departure of a key business partner created what they described as 'emotional, financial and operational strain'.
In a heartfelt post, they thanked loyal customers:
'The Emerald was always more than just a pub—it was a cultural space… Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.'
Social media lit up with tributes from heartbroken regulars. One wrote: 'It was more like home to us.
And even award-winners haven't been spared, a Midlands pub, hailed as the region's best and a finalist for Desi Grill of the Year 2024, has also gone under, despite its short-lived success.
The wave of closures paints a grim picture for the UK pub scene, already battered by the pandemic and now facing soaring prices for rent, business rates and barrels.
What is happening to the hospitality industry?
By Laura McGuire, consumer reporter
MANY Food and drink chains have been struggling in recently as the cost of living has led to fewer people spending on eating out.
Businesses had been struggling to bounce back after the pandemic, only to be hit with soaring energy bills and inflation.
Multiple chains have been affected, resulting in big-name brands like Wetherspoons and Frankie & Benny's closing branches.
Some chains have not survived, Byron Burger fell into administration last year, with owners saying it would result in the loss of over 200 jobs.
Pizza giant, Papa Johns is shutting down 43 of its stores soon.
Tasty, the owner of Wildwood, said it will shut sites as part of major restructuring plans