After more than 1,000 years, an English pub that claims to be the oldest in Britain is closing its doors due to COVID troubles, owner says
An English pub that claims to be the oldest in Britain is closing due to financial problems worsened by the pandemic.
"Along with my team, I have tried everything to keep the pub going," Tofalli wrote."However, the past two years have been unprecedented for the hospitality industry, and have defeated all of us who have been trying our hardest to ensure this multi-award-winning pub could continue trading into the future."
Britain's pub industry was struggling even before the pandemic, as people ditched drinking in pubs for bars, restaurants and their homes,Between 2008 and 2018, more than 11,000 pubs closed their doors, according to the UK's Office for National Statistics, reducing the total number by almost a quarter.
Ye Olde Fighting Cocks used to be recognized as the oldest pub in England by Guinness World Records, but the record title is now inactive, a spokeswoman for Guinness told CNN.