4 pubs in 500-metre radius shut doors
The Tap and Barrel on Dean Lean, the London Inn on Canon Street, Albert Lounge on West Street and the Black Cat, also on West Street, announced their immediate closure.
The Albert Lounge took to social media to announce its immediate closure on 29 March, stating increased price rises, energy rates and its suppliers as the culprit.
A spokesperson said: “On behalf of the Albert team management, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued loyalty for the past seven years.
“Without your support, our success would not have been possible, however under the current business climate, we have been left with no option but to close down."
Saying thank you
They continued: “Thank you once again for the loyal and continuous support you have shown us over the years we have been trading.
“We will miss you all, and feel truly devastated that it has come to this.”
Customers flocked to the comments to express their sadness. “Deb and staff are amazing,” said one customer, “wishing you all the best”.
All four pubs – renowned for their live music nights – are located within a 500-metre radius of each other.
Sad goodbye
The Tap and Barrel also made an announcement on social media: "As you may of heard The Tap and Barrel has unfortunately had to close due to constant rise in cost of living," it wrote on Facebook.
"We regret this very much but would like to thank all customers who walked through our doors for their custom and a huge thanks to staff for your hard work."
This follows data that revealed 50 pubs a month are disappearing from the communities they serve across England and Wales.
Statistics from real estate adviser Altus Group showed the number of pubs closing rocketed by 50% in the three months to the end of September with Wales and the north west losing the greatest number.
During this period, analysis of Government property tax records found 150 pubs were either demolished or converted into other types of use like homes and offices.
The total number of pubs, including those vacant and being offered to let, dropped below 40,000 for the first time to 39,973 at the end of June compared to 40,173 at the end of the 2021 calendar year, according to Altus Group’s annual business rates review.
