Wetherspoon pub Bears Head in Penarth set to close

JD Wetherspoon, which runs the pub, has confirmed they have served a “break notice” on the lease at 37-39 Windsor Road, where the pub is located.

The news comes as Wetherspoon’s, known as “Spoons”, revealed a jump in profits for the past year, witnessing higher customer demand in the face of cost-of-living pressures.

The company told shareholders on Friday, March 22, that pre-tax profits surged by almost eight-fold to £36 million for the year to January, compared with £4.6 million a year earlier.

However, this does not seem to have saved Bears Head from the chop, with the pub set to close.

There is no set date confirmed yet when the pub will close and it will continue to operate as a Wetherspoon’s until its closure.

Staff at the pub will not be made redundant, but be offered jobs in other Wetherspoon’s pubs.

A spokesperson for Wetherspoon’s told Penarth Times: “The Bear’s Head in Penarth will close.

“Wetherspoon has served a break notice on the lease.

“There is no set date on when the pub will close and it will continue to operate as a Wetherspoon pub until its closure date.

“There will be no redundancies – all staff will be offered jobs at other Wetherspoon pubs.”

• Read more: Wetherspoon profits surge as customer demand grows
• Watch our Facebook live, clicking here, as we were outside the Bears Head after the bombshell announcement it is going to close

Bombshell in Penarth as one of town’s busiest pubs Bears Head Wetherspoon to close

The Bears Head is located right in the centre of Penarth, sitting proudly on its busy high street where local residents are galvanised by the town’s business resilience during such difficult years.

You’ll still see plenty of boutiques, eateries, cafes and pubs in Penarth, however the town looks set to soon lose one of those pubs.  

Despite Wetherspoon’s posting record revenues last year, the company confirmed it has served a break notice on their lease in Penarth.

Wetherspoon’s recorded revenues of £991 million for the year to January, up from £916 million a year earlier.

Penarth high street has been through a lot in recent years (Image: Google Maps)

The company said: “In the last decade, there has been a reduction in the number of trading Wetherspoon pubs, which peaked at 955 in December 2015.

“In spite of a reduction in the overall number of pubs, sales have continued to increase – total sales are now about one third higher than in 2015.”

Founder and chairman Tim Martin said it has seen sales “continue to improve” into the new financial year.

“The company currently anticipates a reasonable outcome for the financial year, subject to our future sales performance,” Mr Martin added.

What do you think about this announcement? Are you a Bears Head regular? Gutted by the news? How will this affect Penarth? Are you, or do you know a staff member affected by this? Message for the staff?

Let us know, emailing harry.jamshidian@newsquest.co.uk.

Got a story in Penarth? Email harry.jamshidian@newsquest.co.uk.