Latest news with #pubclosure
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'Trade is so bad': Pub could be closed within months
A VILLAGE pub could be closed within months, with the landlord saying "trade is so bad." Matt Clarke, who runs the Fox & Hounds at Lulsley, has put the pub up for sale and applied for planning permission to convert it into housing. If approved, the pub could be turned into six flats and three further homes could be built on the site. Mr Clarke said the decision has caused "a rift" with villagers but that challenges facing the hospitality industry have hit the pub hard. READ MORE: Pair in their 60s arrested after alleged assault near supermarket READ MORE: Emergency services called to M5 bridge crash READ MORE: Speeding drivers through village targeted by police "Unfortunately, the pub's really struggling so we're trying to sell and we've put in for planning permission as well," he said. "It's caused a bit of a rift with the community but trade is so bad. "The hospitality trade is on its knees, the staff costs have gone through the roof, minimum wage has gone up and utilities are really expensive so it's been hard." Speaking to the Worcester News at the pub's dog show, he said the annual event would normally require more staff but that this year, they were down to just three. "The dog show is a boost to keep us going a bit longer," he said. "There's just three of us working today, rather than seven years ago, we'd have five or six people." The pub is being listed for sale by estate agents Sidney Phillips, with an asking price of £495,000 for the freehold. According to the planning application, the pub went to auction on March 26 but did not sell. It said the applicants had asked Sidney Phillips to continue listing the property while they continue alternative uses, such as the application to turn it into homes. "Within the next two or three months, we'll probably be shut," Mr Clarke said. "It can't be helped. We're trying everything we can."
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Locals shocked by pub's sudden closure
A pub in Derby has abruptly closed with a handwritten note placed on the door saying the brewery owner was unhappy about photos of it being shared Abbey, in Darley Abbey, dates back to the 15th Century and is one of the last surviving buildings from an extensive sources told the BBC the current landlords were informed by Samuel Smith's Brewery, which owns the pub, they had broken policies and were dismissed with immediate effect. The brewery has refused to comment on the closure. Samuel Smith's operates about 200 pubs across the UK and is famous for its strict rules laid down by owner Humphrey include a no-swearing policy, no televisions or jukeboxes and a ban on the use of mobile phones or laptops in its public Abbey's closure comes after another pub owned by the brewery in Bradford shut unexpectedly in September brewery also shut down another historic pub in north-west London in Repton, a councillor at Derby City Council, posted on Facebook: "All the brewery have said so far is that the managers did not follow company policies, which the couple deny emphatically.""We're all really sad and sorry for the landlords, who have now lost their home and livelihood." The Abbey had been closed for five years before re-opening in September who was part of the campaign to get it reopened, told the BBC the fresh closure had come as a shock to the local community."I went in for a quick pint on Tuesday and everything seemed to be OK, although I know that the landlords have come under a certain amount of pressure in recent months," he said."I was rung and told the pub was to close immediately."People are absolutely appalled and shocked by the immediate closure."We were starting to build up the trade again. It's a good pub with great atmosphere, in the village centre."It's an important and integral part of the village and village life."
The Sun
19-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Major bar and pub chain with 1,700 branches confirms shock closure of beloved site
A HUGE pub chain with 1,7000 branches across the UK has closed down a key bar. All Bar One in Reading announced it would be shutting down its Oracle Riverside spot. 1 Mitchell & Butlers, the owners of the stylish bar empire, addressed the closure with a statement on the location finder page of All Bar One's website. It read: "Unfortunately, this bar is now closed as an All Bar One. Thank you to our loyal guests for all your previous time spent with us. "Not to worry, we are still pouring the best cocktails at another location near you," they added. Social media for the Reading bar has been quiet so far, with no posts since February on Instagram. The Sun has contacted All Bar One's owners Mitchells & Butlers for comment. The bar was hugely popular with punters and proudly called itself "The only place to be on the Oracle Riverside". According to the bar's Google review page, it really was the place to be. Just a few months ago, one customer wrote: "Had a lovely meal here yesterday evening. "The Pad Thai with prawns was lovely, a generous serving and really tasty, I would definitely order it again! "My friend had the sharing plates which were also excellent. It was a nice atmosphere and the staff were really friendly." Thank you for a lovely evening! Recommend!" Another chimed: "Great position in Reading on the River Kennet and an easy walk from the station. The pub is run by a professional and friendly team. I will be back," they added. In May 2024, Michells & Butler recorded a 170 percent increase in profits to £108million. In its latest half-year results, the company reported that sales also rose by 8.5% to £1.4 billion. However, Phil Urban, chief executive of Mitchells & Butler, warned that menu prices are still significantly higher than a year ago despite falling inflation. In September last year, the All Bar One in Brighton closed for good. The bar chain, which is owned by Mitchells & Butlers, has just over 50 sites across the UK. It's worth pointing out that some establishments close to open in a more suited location, or to try different ventures. But food and drink chains in general have been suffering as the cost of living has led to fewer people spending on eating out. Businesses were struggling to bounce back after the pandemic, only to be hit with soaring energy bills and inflation. Despite the challenges, All Bar One's rival Wetherspoons is preparing to launch 15 brand-new pubs across the country. Three new pubs were already unveiled this year in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, Douglas, Isle of Man and at London Waterloo station. Next is Walham Green at Fulham Broadway, South West London, opening on Tuesday, June 17. The Dictum of Kenilworth in Warwickshire will follow, opening on Wednesday, July 30. On Tuesday, August 26, The Sun Wharf on Tooley Street near London Bridge will welcome punters. The King of Essex in Basildon is scheduled to open on Tuesday, September 23. Finally, a new pub in Merchant Square, Paddington, is also set to open later this summer, though the exact date has yet to be confirmed. 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
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Landlord dubbed an 'anti-Christ' after he shut down the only village pub wins permission to turn it into a shop
Villagers are furious that an 'anti-Christ' landlord has won permission to turn their only pub into a shop - after they fought a planning battle to stop it becoming a house. Drew Donaldson, owner of the Fox and Hounds in Llanharry, South Wales, gave villagers a 'use it or lose it' ultimatum in before shutting the pub in December 2023 due to rising costs and a lack of customers. But his initial plan to turn the boozer into housing caused uproar as locals claimed village life would be damaged by the plans - and objectors claimed victory when he was denied planning permission for the move. In the wake of their victory, they had hoped to buy the building as a community asset and take over the running of the pub - but Mr Donaldson has now won permission for a change of use into a shop. More than 100 villagers gathered in the village fields for a second time holding a banner titled 'Save the Fox' but their protest did not sway the planning committee. Mr Donaldson, who previously referred to himself as the 'anti-Christ of Llanharry' was supported in his venture by local councillor Barry Stephens. Cllr Stephens said villagers should have done more to support the pub when it was open. He added : 'The Donaldsons worked very hard to try and keep the business running. They added a chip shop and a playground for children. They invested an awful lot of money. 'I heard how it was stated that the pub was supporting groups in the village and was the heart of the community. That was totally false. 'I've been involved in the drinking trade and the catering trade in Llanharry for 14 years. I've seen what happens. The people do not support the pub or the club.' Cllr Stephens also took aim at the protestors who had gathered against Mr Donaldson's plans, saying their group was not a true reflection of the popularity of the area. He said: 'It's great you come along when people have gathered like last weekend with a VE celebration in the park and then a couple of people produce a banner and ask people to get around for the photoshoot, but it's not the true reflection of the village.' Objections to the plan included Llanharry community council and local Labour Senedd member Huw Irranca-Davies MS and Alex Davies-Jones MP. In a joint letter, they said: 'We share the disappointment many residents voiced that this represents another step away from bringing the pub back into use. 'A shop doesn't offer the same social or cultural value as a pub and we'd be disappointed to see the community lose the Fox and Hounds in that role.' Mr Donaldson previously said he was surprised 600 people from the village of 3,500 had joined a Facebook group against the closure. He said: 'You have to ask yourself the question: 'If there are 600 or more people in a group opposing what I'm trying to do, why were those people not supporting the pub when it was open?' 'There were some who'd come down. People would come down once a month and have a beer. That's not enough. 'My costs were going up this whole time. You can't just go on losing money.' 'When you spend 600 quid on a band and you get 16 people and it's Christmas Eve, you've got to ask yourself: 'What am I doing here?' In his initial application to use the land for housing, Mr Donaldson, who is a builder by trade, had hoped to erect two separate four-bedroom homes and to build a third four-bedroom home on the land as well. He had first attempted to list the pub on the market - but said no one was interested in taking it over. Shops in the village had letters objecting to Mr Donaldson's plans on their counters and a cafe has put posters up with the headline: 'Save the Fox & Hounds!' Eifion Edwards, who had printed off letters opposing the plans, said: 'People really care here. We want our pub back. 'It's in a great location, has fantastic potential, and it's an excellent community asset. The reaction from the entire village and the support and momentum we've got is extremely important.' Mike Meredith, a Llanharry resident of more than 60 years, claimed: 'He has been there for years and slowly ran it downhill so it wasn't a surprise when it closed. It was like a liquified agony.' 'We know it's perfectly normal along a high street for two or three pubs to close. That's the way it's going. This is different. 'This is a village and a pub isn't just a pub. It's a meeting place and it's crucial. If you are the local plasterer or plumber you get your business there. That's how it still works here.'
The Sun
19-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Award-winning pub to close its doors in just weeks after six years as landlord says it'll be ‘missed by many'
A POPULAR pub will call last orders in just weeks as landlords have announced its shock closure. After six years, the award-winning venue will close its doors at the end of the month. 2 2 The Cob and Coal in Tommyfield Market, Oldham, will close its doors on June 1 with the final trading day on Saturday, May 31. The shock announcement was made on social media last week by landlord Chris Riley. In a Facebook post, he said: "It's with great sadness to announce the Cob and Coal, Tommyfield Market, will close its doors on 1 June. "We won't be moving into the New Market development, but we are very proud of what the Cob and Coal achieved in its six years. "We have Rochdale, Oldham and Bury CAMRA pub of the year. "Greater Manchester CAMRA Pub of the Year and R.O.B Cider pub of the year, twice and it was shortlisted for We Love Manchester pub of the year." The Tommyfield market hall will be closed after 240 years after the local council approved plans earlier this year. The demolition is planned for the summer and traders will be moving to a newly built venue next to Spindles Shopping Centre, but the Cob and Coal won't be joining them. Citing the reasons for the closure, Chris said: "We're closing before the actual market closes for a number of reasons. "The license is due for renewal as is the insurance, broadband etc. "There's no point renewing when the market is closing sometime in the summer." He added: "I'm sure it will be missed by many. "Watch this space as it might reappear in some for or another." Landlord Chris Riley is also the landlord of the multi-award winning Fox and Pine in Oldham town centre, which is run with his wife Michelle. The Cob and Coal was the original headquarters for the Isolation Inn Facebook group which the couple launched during lockdown. The group had a huge 40,000 followers on the social media platform at the time. Punters flocked to the comments to show their appreciation for the venue following the announcement. One comment said: "Gutted to hear this, I hope you will be in a position to make a re-emergence somewhere down the line. "Such a shame to hear this is happening." Another commenter added: "We've had some great Saturdays in that place, met many new people as well as connecting with acquaintances who have become good friends because of the Cob and Coal. "End of a thoroughly fantastic era!" 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.
