South Yorkshire pub break-in 'final nail in the coffin' as new tenants needed
“The recent break-in was the final nail in the coffin for us - leaving it impossible to continue.”
A pub group is hunting for a new tenant after a South Yorkshire watering hole closed due to a break-in described as “the final nail in the coffin”.
The management team at The Masons Arms in the leafy village of Thorpe Hesley announced the decision to move out, following the raid which had closed the premises, in Thorpe Street, temporarily, while they cleaned up.
After the pub re-opened, the tenants dropped the bombshell that they had been tipped over the edge by the crime.
In a leaving statement, they said: “Anyone who has seen the news will know how tough a time it is for hospitality with the forever climbing costs, which have ultimately defeated us.
“We know we haven’t always got everything right but we have tried our best to keep the doors open and the lights on.
“The recent break-in was the final nail in the coffin for us - leaving it impossible to continue.”
The business is operated by Star pubs and anyone interested in taking over will need to find an annual rent of £29,820 - though the estimated annual turnover is £451,723.
Star Pubs describes the village as having “a large and affluent population of 11,200.”
It is one of three pubs in the community and the customer-base is described as “professional families, mature singles and long-term couples.”
The expectation is that a new tenant will have experience of running a similar business - with an emphasis the food and drink element of the trade.
The Masons can seat 50 diners and accommodate 30 vehicles in the car park.