PUNTERS have expressed their disappointment as Wetherspoons announced yet another pub will close its doors.
The Foxley Hatch in Purley will pull down its shutters for the final time on December 3, the company told Inside Croydon.
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The boozer was put on sale in 2022, shortly after two other Wetherspoons pubs in Croydon shut up shop.
The Skylark and the Milan Bar closed in March and February 2022, respectively, and have remained shut ever since.
There has been speculation from regulars that a buyer for The Foxley Hatch had come forward.
“The staff here work ever so hard, and the place has always seemed busy,” one regular said.
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“But then, from what we heard, the Skylark did decent business, too, and they closed that.”
Confirming the December 3 closure date, Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said, “We would like to thank all of the staff and customers at the Foxley Hatch who have made it such a wonderful pub.
“We appreciate our staff’s dedication and hard work and our customers’ loyalty.”
Wetherspoons – which has 827 pubs across the UK – warned last September that 32 pubs were being put up for sale.
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That month, The Sun revealed that Wetherspoons had put 11 more pubs up for sale, leaving fans gutted that their local branch could be lost forever.
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.
But Wetherspoons last month announced that it has swung back to a significant profit as higher food sales helped its post-pandemic sales recovery continue.
The company, which runs 826 pubs across the UK, saw total sales rise by 10.6% to £1.92 billion for the year to July 30.
It comes after a high street store with over 160 stores nationwide announced the closure of another location.
Major toy chain The Entertainer is set to pull down the shutters of one of its branches located in a popular Bristol shopping centre.
