London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jul 13, 2025

The historic London pubs that could close for good after Tier 4 restrictions

The historic London pubs that could close for good after Tier 4 restrictions

One of them includes a nearly 400 year old pub that can't afford to pay rent

London is famous for its old pubs, many that date back hundreds of years and can name famous historical figures as regular punters.

However, a combination of plummeting sales and unclear guidance from the government is driving the increased risk of permanent closure for many of London's oldest pubs, according to an industry campaign group.

A lot of London's history is tied up in its pubs that have served communities for centuries but their owners say their futures are now at risk because of Tier 4 restrictions.

Gary Murphy, who runs the nearly 400 year old Mitre Inn pub in Barnet, said he did not know whether they would be able to open when the latest restrictions are lifted.


The Mitre Inn in Barnet has been boarded up

"It couldn't be much worse," Gary said. "I've lost 50 per cent of trade and I've got loads of stock I will have to pour down the drain.

"I've had no earnings since March and the government grants are only a fraction of what we need to pay rent and overheads.

"We pay £12,000 a month in overheads and the government grant is £2,000 a month. If we don't open in January around £4,000 of stock will have to be chucked out."

The Mitre Inn was built in 1633 and served as a coach house, and now the original building is Grade II listed and is a popular pub.

A similarly bleak forecast was given by Dave Law who runs The Eagle in Battersea, famed for having been restored in 1890 by the Holloway brothers who restored Trafalgar Square.

"The government just don't seem to have a plan," said Dave. "An average person looks at what they've done and says 'that's batsh*t crazy'.

"They have turned their back on businesses and the people they are supposed to serve. We qualify for a £3,000 grant but we've only received £2,000 which leaves us £1,500 short each month on rent.

"This pub has a lot of history. It's hard to say whether we will survive."

The Eagle was built around 1860 and started at as a group of cottages that home-brewed beer to sell on what was Battersea's first road.

The Campaign for Pubs has called for the government to provide pubs with an urgent support package to save them from permanent closure.

Greg Mulholland, Campaign Director for the Campaign for Pubs said: "The Government has strung people along with the prospect of opening for Christmas, then changed the goalposts yet again and at the same time, closed thousands of other pubs a week before Christmas.

“The Government either doesn’t understand or doesn’t care that their failing strategy is destroying livelihoods and consigning many pubs to history.

"They must now come up with an urgent and meaningful package of support or they, not Covid, will be responsible for the loss of thousand of pubs and for hardship faced by many families."

MyLondon has approached the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy for comment.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
×