Cost-of-living crisis forces 16th century pub to shut

20-Jan-2023 - Last updated on 20-Jan-2023 at 11:08 GMT

Shuttering sites: the closure of the Cherry Tree Inn is the latest in a number of pubs to announce they are shutting (image: Getty/ChrisHepburn)

Rising utility costs and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis have resulted in the closure of a 16th century pub in Worcestershire.

The Cherry Tree Inn in Lower Moor, Pershore announced the closure was due to rocketing energy costs on Facebook.

The post said: “We have decided to shut our lovely pub from Friday (20 January). We can’t carry on with the energy prices.

“Thank you [to] everyone who has supported us over the three years we have been here. We have loved it, every minute of it.”

A subsequent post outlined how patrons could visit the pub for one last time before it shut the doors.

Fond farewell

It said: “To all our wonderful customers. We are opening Friday 5pm to say our final farewell. We would love to see you all to say a fond farewell to a wonderful pub and friends we have made along the journey.

“There have been some great times, laughs and madness. Let’s see this one out on a high note, raise a glass to the pub, staff and friends lost.”

This comes after research from AlixPartners and CGA by Nielsen IQ’s Hospitality Market Monitor found 18 licensed premises shut every day in the last quarter of 2022.

The statistics showed this resulted in more sites closing in 2022 than in the Covid-hit high of 2021.

According to the report, unprecedented inflation in energy bills and other costs led to a net decline of 1,611 licensed premises in the fourth quarter of last year.

Site closures

Furthermore, a Hampshire-based pub closed following a significant drop in trade. The Roebuck Inn, Winchester said a plummet in trade and rise in running costs due to the cost-o-living crisis and Covid repercussions had forced the pub to cease trading.

Moreover, in November last year, Brighton’s ‘oldest’ gay bar shut its doors as a result of “excessive overheads”.

In January this year, Fuller’s pub the Ship in Southwark, central London also announced it was shutting permanently.

In a social media post, a statement said: “Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, we are now permanently closed.

“Thank you for your custom and your nearest Fuller’s pub is the Trinity next to Borough underground station.”