“Use us or lose us,” pub landlords have warned as a popular boozer permanently shuts today (February 26).
News of the Southern Cross’ closure has been lamented by punters with many happy memories of the Langley Road venue.
There is also concern over the future of the vacant Sportsman pub in Croxley Green after signs stating it is ‘under offer’ went up, without confirmation of the potential buyer's intentions for the site, amid suggestions it may not remain a pub.
Meanwhile, The Horse and Chains, Slug and Lettuce, Walkabout, Rose and Crown, The Oaks, and The Horns have all closed down temporarily ahead of being taken on by new management over the past six months.
While the appetite to reopen venues is a positive sign, there are concerns over how often venues can keep closing, reopening, and going through management changes before more start shutting for good.
Sanjay Chopra, who reopened his local the Halfway House in Rickmansworth last year, says he always tells his customers “use us or lose us”.
The 67-year-old described the community pub as a vital tradition, but one which needs to be supported if it is going to survive.
“I always used to go to pubs to meet up with friends and socialise,” he added.
“Pubs are closing down because people are not using them as much as they used to.”
At the Oddfellows, in Fearnley Street, Tim Halpin said: “There seems to be no inspiration for people coming to the pubs in Watford since they are all shutting and reopening.”
The experienced landlord feels the borough council is doing the best it can to support venues but “we’re getting no help from the government at all”.
“Watford used to be a great night out,” he added. “We just need to get people coming back to Watford.”
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Meanwhile, Peter Dillingham at The Saracen’s Head in Kings Langley blamed the breweries which own the majority of the area’s boozers for rising closures.
“They have such a stranglehold on so many pubs,” he said, claiming they tie operators to buying drinks through them at set prices. “It’s a hard enough game as it is," he added.
Peter, who also runs the Black Boy in Bricket Wood, suggested incoming managers agreeing to pub companies’ contracts often come in with the dream of running their own pub but “let their heart rule their head”.
This can lead to repeat closures as the 'pubcos' churn through operators, he said.
