Pub closes after landlord and tenants could not agree on rent renewal

Customers who had booked a table for a New Year's Day meal were disappointed yesterday when they turned up to the Telegraph to find the doors locked. The pub has closed due to reasons "well beyond our control" according to the website. The owner of the pub on Putney Heath says it was a failure to agree on new rent levels with the freeholder that led to the shock closure.

On 28 November the pub tweeted about their sold out wine tasting event, however the next tweet on 31 December announced its closure:

Happy New Year to you all. Today we have closed The Telegraph & would like thank all our friends & customers for their wonderful support. However our journey will continue shortly at The TreeHouse in Barnes & The Rocket in Epsom. We look forward to welcoming you to our new homes

— The Telegraph Putney (@TelegraphPutney) 1 January 2019

Owner Peter Linacre told this website, "We told all members of staff on 29th December about the impending closure. Happily, pretty much all staff have been offered positions at two new premises that will open imminently; The TreeHouse in Barnes and The Rocket in Epsom".

The issue that led to the closure was the not that the pub was struggling but a question of agreeing the rent renewal. Mr Linacre said, "We have been negotiating with our landlord for months and years that he might adjust the current rent of £243,000 and rising to £275,000 in May 2020 - in the light of current and recent market conditions. That negotiating door was finally closed on 28th December. "

He continued, " We have loved owning and running the site. And it says something that we finish our time there with our highest ever levels of revenues and our highest ever levels of positive customer feedback! We look forward to opening very soon in Barnes and Epsom".

January 4, 2019