Pubgoers in Kent seaside village fear being left high and dry as three of its boozers go up for sale – with the one remaining local only open over the weekend
- Locals in Dymchurch fear the losses will see the area become a ghost town
- It comes as hundreds of struggling pubs are closing across the country
Pubgoers in a Kent seaside village fear being left high and dry as three of its boozers go up for sale – with the one remaining local only open over the weekend.
Locals in Dymchurch fear the area will become a ghost town after The City of London, The Ocean Inn and The Ship Inn were all put on the market.
The hospitality industry has only recently recovered from the effects of Covid, but the growing cost-of-living crisis means 33 pubs are closing every month across the country.
As the effects hit home in Dymchurch, villagers are growing concerned that just one micropub will now be available to punters, The Hidden Treasure – and even then only from Friday to Sunday.
There is also a Royal British Legion but that is for members only.
The City of London pub (pictured) closed its doors earlier this year as the freehold was listed on the market for £295,000
Since then, the leasehold for The Ship Inn (pictured) has also been listed for £125,000
The heat map shows the areas most affected by sweeping pub closures across England during 2022 – with the Greater London area being most affected, with 98 boozers shutting up shop
It comes amid warnings that Britain’s pub industry will face a ‘bloodbath’ of sweeping closures this year unless urgent action is taken to save hundreds of at-risk boozers from bankruptcy.
READ MORE: ‘Bloodbath’ of boozers as more than 1,000 shut last year – how many closed near YOU?
MailOnline warned this week how more than 1,000 boozers closed in 2022 – double 2021’s figure, when Covid ravaged the industry, with some having been converted into swanky million-pound homes or fast-food joints.
London was the epicentre of the crisis, with 98 pubs shutting. Now campaigners fear thousands more nationwide will face financial ruin after a scheme helping companies cope with energy price hikes ended on Friday.
Dave Hayward, who is part of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and co-founder of award-winning craft beer firm A Hoppy Place, warned: ‘The industry has months left. After that, we’re going to see an absolute bloodbath.’
In Dymchurch, The City of London closed its doors earlier this year as the freehold was listed on the market for £295,000.
Since then, the leasehold for The Ship Inn and The Ocean Inn have also been listed for £125,000 and £250,000 respectively.
Elderly couple Derek and Susanne Coppin moved to the village six years ago from Maidstone due to all the facilities it had to offer.
Mrs Coppin said: ‘I think it’s disgraceful. You get so many people come down here in the summer – where is everybody going to go?
‘I’m concerned the village could become a bit of a ghost town. We moved here originally because it had everything that we wanted.
‘Now the butchers has recently closed and you have all of these pubs up for sale.’
The overall number of pub closures across England, Wales and Scotland has more than doubled, with 504 across England, Scotland and Wales closing in 2021 compared to a staggering 1,039 last year – as the cost-of-living crisis took its toll
The leasehold for The Ocean Inn (pictured) has also been listed for £250,000
Villagers are growing concerned that just one micropub will now be available to punters, The Hidden Treasure – and even then only from Friday to Sunday
Martin and Diane Petken, who live in neighbouring St Mary’s Bay, often visit Dymchurch during the summer time.
Mrs Petken said: ‘I can’t believe that. I heard rumours and thought that can’t be right.
‘We use The Ship and The Ocean quite often so we would hate to see anything happen to them.
‘It is a worry I think. The village relies on these businesses to help keep the place alive.
‘I get it is a seasonal place, but it has always been like that. It shows people are struggling at the moment.’
Owners of The Hidden Treasure micropub, Andrew and Marluce (corr) Clark, struggled over the winter months.
Mrs Clark said: ‘Pubs closing is a trend at the moment, so it is definitely a concern for us.
‘As Dymchurch is such a seasonal place, to survive the winter months we have only been opening on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.’
The couple opened the high street micropub back in 2019 and remain hopeful but nervous about the year ahead.
Mr Clark added: ‘The rising utility bills mean that it’s not worth us opening during the week.
‘Our bills have tripled in price this year.
‘The idea for us is to try and make our money in the summer and that buffers us for the winter.
‘My fear is that this year we might not get that buffer.’
Wetherspoons pubs that are closing or being sold in 2023
Mr Clark, from Lewisham, moved to Dymchurch with his wife in 2013 and had the dream of opening a pub in the area.
While the couple found the Covid-19 pandemic challenging, they believe the cost-of-living crisis is hitting businesses much harder.
Mr Clark added: ‘We have to find the right balance between increasing our prices and keeping it affordable for people. It is a real challenge.
‘Covid was a tough time, but the increase in everyone’s bills currently means we are not getting as many customers.’
The cost of living jumped dramatically in the UK during 2021 and 2022.
According to UK Parliament the annual rate of inflation reached 11.1 per cent in October 2022 – a 41-year high.
While costs did ease in the following months, between January and February of this year the rate rose once more from 10.1 per cent to 10.4 per cent.
Despite the hardships, the couple are still optimistic they can make things work.
Mr Clark said: ‘As an independent we have a lot more freedom than other pubs.
‘We like to think we provide something different to the community and we hope people still come and support us.’
As uncertainty surrounds the pubs in the village, Mark Lilly, the owner of The Ship Inn, has reassured residents the pub will remain open as he awaits the sale of the leasehold.
He said: ‘I think the current managers are just ready to leave and run their other pubs.
‘The Ship Inn will remain as a public house and we have no reason to close during the changeover.
‘I don’t want it to change from its current format.’
The City Of London currently remains under offer and no further update has been provided from owners at The Ocean Inn.
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