Torquay pub to close after almost 500 years of trading

The Hole in the Wall pub in Torquay has announced its closure after almost 500 years of trading.

In a Facebook message, the team said the historic boozer will shut for good on 13 April, stating: “We’d like to thank you all for your loyal custom over the years, with many great memories created, to add to the centuries’ more storied history here at the Hole.”

Customers who have made bookings after this date have been contacted, though the pub conceded “not everyone has been reached as yet, but we’ll keep trying”.

Richard Rossendale-Cook, the pub’s landlord, told ITV he is being shut by HMRC as he can no longer afford to pay rent for the pub.

He said he has paid the brewery over £1m in rent and beer over the last seven years but that the declining number of people eating out has contributed to challenging trading conditions.

It comes as the hospitality sector faces a package of price increases next month as a result of increases to business rates, National Minimum Wage and employers’ National Insurance Contributions.

The Hole in the Wall is believed to be Torquay’s oldest pub, dating back to the 1540s, having welcomed everyone between smugglers and business people over the years.