‘Another nail in the coffin’ fans groan as Wetherspoons ‘glorious’ pub closes

WETHERSPOONS fans may have to find a new local soon as even more venues are set to close for good.

Punters could lose as many as 20 Wetherspoons drinking spots as another venue prepares to close its doors.

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The Sir Norman Rae in Market Street, Shipley, West Yorkshire, will call for final orders on March 24 after finding a buyer.

It was one of 11 additional pubs that Wetherspoons put up for sale in September last year – a year after it initially put 32 pubs up for sale.

Reacting to the online news, one punter said: “So disappointed to see this Wetherspoons closing. It will be missed.”

Another wrote: “Another nail in the coffin of Shipley town centre. Very sad.”

A third added: “Bang is going to our regular dinner on a Thursday night, a few pints for me and a few wines for the wife.”

And a fourth shouted: ‘Too bad. Good breakfast there. Cheaper than Bingley and Bradford.

“Shipley doesn’t have much left for it.”

One regular customer describes the branch as “gloriously presented” in Google reviews.

A spokesperson for Wetherspoons said: “The last trading day for The Sir Norman Rae is March 24.

‘It’s a pub that Wetherspoon put on the market a while ago and have now traded to sell.

“We will not reveal who it was sold to.

“Wetherspoon occasionally sells off some pubs and that is the case here.”

The pub will remain open until the closing date and trade as a Wetherspoons.

Dozens of other Wetherspoons locations remain up for sale.

The Foot of the walk bar in Edinburgh Leith comes on the market after a sewer pipe burst beneath the property.

Plus The Sun exclusively revealed that The Quay in Poole, Dorset and The White Hart in Todmorden would be coming onto the market.

The chain – which has 827 pubs in the UK – warned in September 2023 that it would put dozens of pubs up for sale.

There are as many as 20 pubs still for sale, with 15 locations currently on offer.

This means that a buyer has made an offer that is being considered by the seller.

This does not mean that the sale is guaranteed, and the sale may remain open if not completed.

The five pubs up for sale are:

• The Pontlottyn, Abertillery
• The Ivor Davies, Cardiff
• The Market Cross, Holywell
• Rochester Castle, London
• Foot of the walk, Edinburgh

There are currently 15 Wetherspoons locations on offer:

• Asparagus, Battersea, London
• Wrong one, Bexleyheath
• The Gatehouse, Doncaster
• Jolly Zeeman, Bristol
• The Mockbeggar Hall, Moreton
• The Alfred Herring, Palmers Green
• The cross keys, pebbles
• Mr Norman Rae, Shipley
• The White Heart, Todmorden
• Spa Lane Vaults, Chesterfield
• Lord Arthur Lee, Fareham
• The Regent, Kirkby in Ashfield
• The Sir Daniel Arms, Swindon
• The Hain Line, St Ives
• The Quay, Poole
• Thomas Drummond, Fleetwood

It comes as several British pubs have closed their doors for good amid a turbulent economic backdrop.

Rising energy and labor costs are putting further pressure on companies.

But Wetherspoons continues to sell and excite its loyal fan base.

From March 6, punters will have the chance to sample a range of 30 different real ales, including five from overseas brewers.

The festival lasts 12 days from Wednesday March 6 to Sunday March 17.

Wetherspoons fans will have the opportunity to taste beers from Belgium, Germany, Italy, Taiwan and the US.

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