‘Another bit of history gone’ cry fans as Wetherspoons set to close another branch within days

A POPULAR branch of Wetherspoons is closing for good within days and dozens more boozers are still at risk of shutting forever.

Punters could lose as many as 20 Wetherspoon drinks spots as more locations prepare to shut their doors.

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The Percy Shaw in Halifax is calling last orders on Sunday, January 7 after the venue was sold to a new owner.

The chain – which has 827 pubs across the UK – warned last September that it was putting dozens of its pubs up for sale.

The Percy Shaw was among the venues put up for sale.

Locals have taken to social media to share their disappointment over the pub’s closure.

One Facebook user said: “What?! Why?”

Another added: “Sad times.”

A third wrote: “Wow! Another bit of history gone.”

And a fourth cried: “Fond memories of looking out of that window.”

But it’s not all bad news as the pub’s new owners have said it “remains committed” to keeping food and drink prices low.

In a statement on Facebook, they said: “As many have heard, The Percy Shaw will be transferring to independent ownership from January 2024.

“We are extremely excited to be taking this fantastic venue forward in 2024.

“We will be bringing back a few brands that were lost in the past couple of years such as John Smiths and Fosters to supplement other favourites like Carling, Coors, Shipyard to name a few.

“We will be serving food and prices will be very similar to the current prices in the Percy Shaw.”

The venue will reopen under its new ownership on January 15.

Earlier this year, The Sun revealed that Wetherspoons had put 11 more pubs up for sale, leaving fans gutted that their local branch could be lost forever.

There are currently 20 Wetherspoons pubs up for sale.

Of these, eight are currently under offer.

This means that a buyer has presented an offer that is being considered by the seller.

It doesn’t mean that the sale is guaranteed, and it could still remain open if it doesn’t complete.

A full list of these pubs is as follows:

• Wrong ‘Un, Bexleyheath
• The Alfred Herring, Palmers Green
• The Cross Keys, Peebles
• Asparagus, Battersea
• The Jolly Sailor, Bristol
• The Mockbeggar Hall, Moreton
• The Sir Norman Rae, Shipley
• The White Hart, Todmorden

The White Hart, The Mockbeggar Hall and The Sir Norman Rae have joined this list in recent weeks.

The following 12 pubs remain available to any interested buyers:

• The Pontlottyn, Abertillery
• The Ivor Davies, Cardiff
• Spa Lane Vaults, Chesterfield
• The Gate House, Doncaster
• The Market Cross, Holywell
• The Regent, Kirkby in Ashfield
• The Hain Line, St Ives
• The Sir Daniel Arms, Swindon
• Lord Arthur Lee, Fareham
• The Plough and Harrow, London
• Resolution, Middlesbrough
• Sennockian, Sevenoaks

While the 42 pubs below have already shut their doors for good:

• The John Masefield, New Ferry
• Angel, Islington
• The Silkstone Inn, Barnsley
• The Billiard Hall, West Bromwich
• Admiral Sir Lucius Curtis, Southampton
• The Colombia Press, Watford
• The Malthouse, Willenhall
• The John Masefield, New Ferry
• Thomas Leaper, Derby
• Cliftonville, Hove
• Tollgate, Harringay
• Last Post, Loughton
• Harvest Moon, Orpington
• Alexander Bain, Wick
• Chapel an Gansblydhen, Bodmin
• Moon on the Square, Basildon
• Coal Orchard, Taunton
• Running Horse, Airside Doncaster Airport
• Wild Rose, Bootle
• Edmund Halley, Lee Green
• The Willow Grove, Southport
• Postal Order, Worcester
• North and South Wales Bank, Wrexham
• The Sir John Stirling Maxwell, Glasgow
• The Knight’s Templar, London
• Christopher Creeke, Bournemouth
• The Water House, Durham
• The Widow Frost, Mansfield
• The Worlds Inn, Romford
• Hudson Bay, Forest Gate
• The Saltoun Inn, Fraserburgh
• The Bankers Draft, Eltham, London
• The Sir John Arderne, Newark
• The Capitol, Forest Hill
• Moon and Bell, Loughborough
• Nightjar, Ferndown
• General Sir Redvers Buller, Crediton
• The Rising Sun, Redditch
• The Butlers Bell, Stafford
• Millers Well, East Ham
• Foxley Hatch, Purley
• The Coronet, London

It comes as a number of UK pubs have closed their doors for good amid a turbulent economic backdrop.

Inflation remains stubbornly high meaning households have less expendable cash to burn.

Increased energy and wage costs are piling further pressure on businesses.

The Sun’s Save Our Sups campaign — called for government help to rescue boozers.

As a result, the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended business rate relief and froze alcohol duty in his Autumn Statement on Wednesday.

Retailers on the high street have been hit hard too.

Cath Kidston, Paperchase, M&Co and popular discounter Wilko have all crashed into administration this year.

Wilko has returned to the high street, with branches in Plymouth, Exeter and Luton opening first.

Plus, Paperchase reopened inside 250 Tesco supermarkets, and in June, M&Co relaunched online.

You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk