Four Bedminster pubs close on one day due to energy costs

The pubs wrote a note saying that "due to unforeseen circumstances" they would be closed until further notice

Four pubs in a Bristol suburb have closed on the same day.

The Albert Lounge, Black Cat, London Inn and Tap & Barrel, all in Bedminster, displayed notes saying that "due to unforeseen circumstances" they would be closed until further notice.

On the Albert Lounge's Facebook site, management said the decision was taken "predominantly due to increased price rises with energy rates".

The pubs are owned by the same person but they declined to comment further.

Marshall, the former owner of Little Grosvenor on Coronation Road in Bedminster which also had to close due to rising costs, said the area is not "the same" anymore.

Pub regulars' mental health could be affected by the closures, Marshall said

"We lost so much money in the business," he told BBC Radio Bristol.

"Everyone around here knows each other and now we have all lost each other and we have lost our homes basically," he added.

"These are our favourite places. All the pubs here are a community."

He said pub regulars' mental health could be affected by the closures as the pubs were places they went to socialise.

Labour city councillor for Bedminster, Mark Bradshaw,said: "We have lost many pubs to redevelopment as Bedminster is a sought-after place to live - sadly losing community assets and businesses will make it less attractive and vibrant."

Marshall said people had "lost their homes" through the closures

Vicky is the landlady at the Duke of Cornwall in Pill, in nearby North Somerset, she has also handed in her notice as she could not keep up with the bills.

"We fought through Covid and in the end it has not been enough," Vicky said.

"Utility bills alone have gone from £1,200 last year to over £3,000 a month now."

Vicky said she has older customers without families who rely on the pub for socialising.

"They come for Christmas dinner with us," she said. "To see it potentially go and not come back at all is awful."