Closing Pubs of the UK

( formerly The Bell Hotel ) 3,High Street, Shepton Mallet, is a Grade II listed mid-19th-century building of Doulting limestone with a distinctive bell pediment above the entrance. Once a busy pub and hotel, it was forced to close in 2020 after serious problems with drugs, prostitution, and antisocial behaviour, and its licence was revoked in 2021. Empty and boarded up since, it was registered as an Asset of Community Value in 2024, giving locals the chance to buy it if sold. A community group is now campaigning to raise funds—estimated at around £500,000—to restore it as a pub and hub for events, food, and accommodation. Currently boarded up.

144 Friar Street

Reading

Berkshire

RG1 1EX

The Bugle pub in Friar Street was first used as a pub in 1841, but it sadly closed in October 2021 due to lack of trade. But that hasn’t stopped councillors seeking to protect it by adding the pub and linked properties to its rear to the local list. Debate over the future of the building took place as its owners, Thackeray Estates, are seeking to transform buildings it owns into a 157 room apart-hotel, with The Bugle being retained and its interior used as a pub or restaurant.

Middle Assemdon

Henley on Thames

Oxfordshire

RG96AU

The Rainbow Inn in Middle Assendon was a 17th-century country pub much loved by locals and visitors for its charm, gardens, and friendly atmosphere. Run for 30 years by Graham “Curly” Chandler and his wife Jean, it became a community hub and even won awards for its garden. Sadly, it closed in 2024 when the landlords retired, and the property was later put up for sale for around £500,000. Although fondly remembered, its future use remains uncertain, with talk of it being revived as a pub by new owners. Currently closed.

393 Corporation Road

Newport

NP190GA

Permanently close 31st December 2015 awaiting development.

108-112 Commercial Street
Newport
NP20 1LW

The Tom Toya Lewis pub in Newport is named after a local hero who helped rescue workers during the Newport Dock Disaster of 1909. The building itself was originally the Newport YMCA and was opened in 1909 by Lord Tredegar.The pub was later named in honor of Tom Toya Lewis, a young boy who bravely assisted in the rescue efforts after a trench collapse during the dock construction. Last run by Weatherspoons the pub has closed and currently boarded up.

15 Meadow Street

Weston Super Mare

BS23 1QG

(George and Henry)

Orchard Lane

Southampton

SO14 3BD

The George and Henry, originally the George Inn in the 1850s, was once linked to the George Brewery before later being owned by Crowley’s Alton Brewery. It lost its licence in 1903 but regained it after a successful appeal. The pub closed permanently in the 1930s and was later converted into a private residence.

65 Orchard Lane

Southampton 

SO14 3BD

This pub was named from Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee in 1897. The pub dates back to the early 1860’s when George Dyett was the landlord. The pub’s licence was placed in suspense in March 1956 and the building was demolished shortly afterwards, flats now stand on the site.

66 Orchard Lane

Southampton

SO14 3BD

The Black Horse, a pub at 66 Orchard Lane, was owned by the Winchester Brewery and dated back to the 1860’s with Robert Lock as its landlord. It had a rough reputation, and in 1915, landlady Annie Newman was fined for allowing prostitution on the premises. The pub closed in the late 1930’s, and by 1939, it had become a private residence occupied by Mrs. Woodford, the widow of its last licensee. The building was demolished during 1950’s redevelopment, and modern flats now stand on the site.

16 Keyhaven Road

Milford On Sea

SO41 0QY

The White Horse was a Grade II listed, family run pub, possibly incorporating the 18th century Kings Arms. It featured an L shaped main bar with alcove seating, a second bar with games, and a family dining room with a conservatory. The menu focused on home cooked food, catering to large groups by reservation. Located half a mile from the beach and near Keyhaven, the pub had historic significance with extensions from the 19th and 20th centuries. It is now permanently closed and has been converted into three houses.

36 Ramshill

Petersfield

GU31 4AP

The pub on Ramshill was originally a Tamplins establishment before being sold to Friary in 1955. It remained a pub until the 1980s when it was converted into residential use. Friary Ales owned it until 1978, when Churcher’s College purchased it and turned it into staff flats. After the school stopped boarding in 1998, the building became derelict and was later sold in 2000. The new owner, a former student, spent three years converting it into a family home while preserving its historical connection to the pub.The building has a long history, with the rear dating back 250 years and the front around 160 years. In the late 19th century, Henry Kimber ran the pub from about 1868 until his dramatic death in 1877 when he fell from his bedroom window. His inquest was held in the bar, highlighting the atmosphere of the pub at that time. His wife, Harriet, continued running the pub for a few years after his passing.

Everton Road

Southampton

SO14 7 LY

Bank Inn was a pub located on the corner of Everton Street (formerly Liverpool Street) and Kingsfield Road, near the Civic Centre. Established in 1861, it was a fully licensed house by 1878. Originally owned by Aldridge’s Bedford Brewery in the early 20th century, it later became the property of Brickwood’s Brewery. The pub’s licence was suspended on 27 February 1967, and it was demolished soon after. The site is now part of an Asda supermarket.

Firehouse

(Parkside Tavern)

(Boogies)

(Strikers)

( Warrens Wine and Spirit Vaults)

Vincents Walk

Southampton

SO141JY

During the 1980’s and early 1990’s this pub was a fashionable bar and cafe known as Boogie's. Before that the pub was known just as Warren's and standing on the corner of Vincents Walk and Pound Tree Road, it was once a Bass Charrington house.

The original Warren's dated back to the early 1880s when a Mrs. Warren was the proprietress and licensee.In the latter years of the 19th century the pub was called Warren's Wine and Spirit Vaults and Refreshment Rooms, with an address at 12 Above Bar Street, which became 62 Above Bar Street when the houses in the street were renumbered. By the early 1900s, however, the pub had become known simply as Warren's Restaurant.

The original old building was virtually destroyed during the wartime blitz on the city, causing the pub to be relocated in temporary premises in Vincents Walk. The temporary premises had to be approached by a long, wooden catwalk that led from Above Bar Street, an arrangement that stayed until March 1957 when the present building was opened as a pub. The name of the pub changed to Boogie's in the early 1980s, it kept that name until the middle of 1994 when it was taken over by Marston's Burton Brewery and extensively refurbished as a proper city centre pub. The pub reopened as the Parkside Tavern in October 1994.

54 Shirley Road

Southampton

SO15 3EX

This Pub is now Closed Long Term

Pub reopened 12th August 2023 having been closed for over a year.Victorian corner pub. Traditional in design & décor with lots of wood panelling. A couple of more modern bar tables blend in well. A popular venue for sports TV. Also features pool, darts & a jukebox. Food served all day.Closed August 2024 after a period of erratic opening. Now boarded up.