JD Wetherspoon has confirmed the closing date for one of its Bristol pubs.
Bristol Live revealed yesterday that the St George's Hall, on Church Road in Redfield, will close in September - and now the chain has announced September 19 will be the branch's final day of trading.
Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: "There will be no redundancies as a result of the closure, with all staff being offered jobs at other Wetherspoon pubs in Bristol.
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“We thank our loyal staff and customers for their service and custom over the years. On occasion the company sells pubs and this is the case here.”
One regular said some customers have been trying to take "anything that's not nailed down" as a memento of the boozer, adding: "There was one bloke asking for a picture of John Wayne on the wall."
The fate of St George's Hall has long been a matter of speculation. The twisty saga started in the spring of 2019, when Wetherspoon revealed plans to sell it after disappointing financial results.
The pub was among 16 UK Wetherspoon branches set to be sold after those results, dismaying regulars at the Redfield watering hole. One said at the time: "It's a community pub and I'll be really sad to see it go."
There was a u-turn in November 2019, when Mr Gershon said: "There had been an offer to purchase it, but after consideration, we decided to continue to run it as a Wetherspoon pub. All the staff have been told and are delighted with the decision. We trust that our loyal customers will welcome the good news too."
But Wetherspoon accepted an offer for the pub in May this year, prompting next month's closure. The buyer is yet to be announced.
The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on Wetherspoon's finances. The chain reported a pre-tax loss of £46.2million in its six-month results in March.
Research revealed in 2019 that the St George's Hall was the cheapest Wetherspoon pub in Bristol, its customers spending an average of £2.72 for a pint.
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