AN ONLINE petition has been launched to save The Bears Head pub in Penarth after owner JD Wetherspoon earmarked it for closure.
JD Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon confirmed plans to close the pub on Windsor Road, saying: “JD 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.”
He also confirmed that, contrary to online rumours, there are no plans to close the Sir Samuel Romilly pub in Barry.
Penarth resident Nick Simmons launched an online petition to save the pub which has so far attracted more than 500 signatures. The petition reads: “The Bears Head is more than just a pub to us. It has served the community of Penarth for many years and continues to be a much-loved establishment with affordable drinks, good quality food, and friendly locals. It is one of the beating hearts of Penarth and it would be tragic to see it go when it has been a staple for so many years here.
“However, this local treasure is now facing closure. According to data from CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), 18 pubs close every week in the UK – we cannot let The Bears Head become one of these statistics.”
Petition signatory Jacqueline Rowan-Phillips said: “This pub looks after many elderly residents of Penarth who rely upon this venue daily for company, reasonably priced food and drink, and well- trained staff who know their more vulnerable customers well.
“For many people, this is their main source of social interaction in a safe, local environment. Closure would be catastrophic.”
Another signatory, Mary Evans, said: “It’s a local hub for many Penarthians, young and not so young, and it’s always busy.
“If this establishment is closed it will be a great loss to the town. Please keep this pub open for the community.”
The news came days after JD Wetherspoon announced that its pre-tax profits soared to £36m in the six months to the end of January, up eight-fold from the £4.6m it made during the same period the year before. Bar sales increased by 11.6%, while food sales were up by 7.6%.
The total number of JD Wetherspoon pubs peaked at 955 in December 2015, but in recent years dozens of those have closed, though founder and chairman Sir Tim Martin says he has ambitions to increase the portfolio to 1,000 pubs in the years ahead.
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