Eastbourne pub firm dealt administration blow

The popular venue in Friday Street – operated by Whiting & Hammond Ltd – closed on the March 20 nationwide lockdown and did not re-open when hospitality restrictions were relaxed.

Along with the Friday Street Farm, the Mark Cross Inn at Mark Cross, the Blue Ball Inn at Walton on the Hill and the Kings Head Bessels Green, will close permanently.

Managing director Brian Whiting said “It will come as no surprise that during this past year the hospitality sector has endured a torrid time as a result of the pandemic and the forced closure for three and a half months.

“There has been help to a degree from the government but sadly this doesn’t go anywhere near the expenses that needed to be covered. On the back of a very good winter and high hopes for the year ahead, on March 20 we were forced to close the business by the government.

“It was clear from the restrictions that on July 4 it would not be possible for us to open all of our pubs so we picked the four which we believed would survive under the new Covid regulations hoping to make enough money to open the remaining sites. Sadly, not for the lack of trying and the continuing added Covid restrictions like the 10pm curfew this has not been possible. Unfortunately on September 30 we called in the administrators.

“I am pleased to report that we have rescued three of the sites from administration under the new name of WH Pubs and have saved 150 jobs. We are clearly worried moving forward with curfews and Covid restrictions which have clearly affected all in hospitality but the teams in these pubs are working around the clock to make them successful and safe.

“It breaks my heart to see the four pubs including The Farm Friday Street that we have built up over the last 18 years disappear and the fantastic people that have been on this epic journey lost. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our loyal customers, fantastic suppliers and most of all the staff for their support over the years.

“I wish the new operators to these sites all our best wishes and hope they will be successful in turning the closed business around.”

A spokesperson from administrators Turpin Barker Armstrong said, “We can confirm that Whiting and Hammond Ltd, which operated a pub restaurant business in Sussex, Surrey and Kent, has entered administration.

“The joint administrators have successfully achieved the sale of three sites and are exploring whether there can be any rescue of other sites. Like many businesses in the sector, the company has hugely suffered from the impact of the pandemic. The venues have significant levels of fixed costs which make them unviable at the customer capacity possible under Covid-19 restrictions.

“In this case the company has been unable to re-open four sites. With no end to the pandemic in sight, this course of action is the best option for rescuing elements of the business and dealing with the affairs of the company in an orderly manner.”