Watford sees pubs close amid industry warnings of rising costs & calls for government’s tax reforms to help businesses.
The CEO says these closures are avoidable. Pubs are actually doing okay business wise, but high bills are eating up the profits. They also face rising costs soon.
She wants the government to help. They should reform business tax rates, and new employment costs need phasing in, too. This helps pubs support jobs and also means they stay in communities!
Some Watford pubs recently closed. Avabar might reopen soon, though, but some are gone for good. Bosleys closed after the lease ended back in 2022.
A Latin bar replaced it soon after, too. But that place closed within nine months. The Colombia Press also shut its doors in February of 2022, and it’s now a Mexican place.
The Ox closed back in 2018. They tore it down and built flats. Flats also stand where The Happy Hour once was, which closed after being sold in 2017. A petition could not save it.
The One Bell’s closure caused a fuss, too. People wanted to keep it a pub. It became a restaurant anyway and is now a Taco Bell.