A historic pub on the outskirts of Bristol has gone up for sale. The Portcullis, in Staple Hill, closed down on May 31 as a result of an incident which saw two people taken to hospital at the beginning of May.
The South Gloucestershire pub, which has been vacant ever since, has now gone on the market for £395,000, according to a listing on RightMove. Owners Hawthorn Leisure (Mantle) Limited were initially looking for a new operator to manage the pub – but it seems they have now decided to sell up altogether.
The Portcullis is now boarded up, with scaffolding around the building. Earlier this year, an application to alter the Premises License was made to South Gloucestershire Council in order to try and tackle concerns about anti-social behaviour around the pub, which has been in operation for more than 250 years.
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It follows an incident at the beginning of May where an alleged assault saw two people taken to hospital with suspected head injuries, which closed off part of High Street. It also follows a “long history of incidents” according to the previous landlady, who wished not to be named.
She said that the incident was a big factor in the decision to vacate the pub. At the time, she said: “The Portcullis has a long history of incidents and we took the decision to leave the pub following the incident on May 4. As far as I am aware, no one has been into the pub since and I know the owners are struggling to find someone to take it on, probably because of the fights and bad reputation.”
The landlady managed the pub from December 2023 until May 31 of this year. In 2019, The Portcullis was refurbished but it did little to plaster the concerns from residents.
This led to an application to vary the licence at the pub, which included reducing working hours and reduced times where alcohol could be sold. In addition, music would be reduced and security would be employed to guard over proceedings.
In the property listing, it says: “The Portcullis occupies a roadside position on High Street in Staple Hill, a suburb on the eastern side of the Bristol city boundary. Staple Hill is close to areas such as Fishponds and Downend, and around 5 miles from the city centre.
“The suburb has a population of approximately 7,000 and a vibrant Victorian high street featuring numerous independent traders which provides a unique and bustling shopping experience. Residents of Staple Hill and visitors to the area also benefit from the attractions and amenities available nearby. Page Park is close at hand and is situated on land which was originally part of the Hill House Estate.”
It adds: “The business is currently being operated by a third party and therefore no trading figures are available, although we understand the current operation is wet sales driven.”