East Barnet looks like losing The Prince of Wales public house — a landmark in the village for 148 years
East Barnet village is in danger of losing its one and only public house: The Prince of Wales is due to close in mid-February and the premises are in the process of being sold.
Local residents and traders fear that the pub might be purchased by a property developer and redeveloped as flats given the size of the site which includes the pub’s own car park.
Stonegate Group, which spent £290,000 refurbishing the Prince of Wales in the summer of 2022, told the Barnet Society that the pub is to close. Stonegate said the group had no plans to re-open it as licensed premises and the process of selling the property had already begun.
Until recent years there were three pubs within East Barnet village and news of the closure of The Prince of Wales has shocked the local community.
There has been a public house on the same site – close to the junction of Church Hill Road and Cat Hill – since 1876. The first licensee of The Prince of Wales was William Jackson who built houses in the adjoining Jackson Road.
Roger Aitken, a regular pub goer and strong supporter of the Campaign for Real Ale, who lives in Jackson Road, was saddened to hear of the closure and like other locals hoped there might be some chance of mounting a campaign to maintain the premises as a public house.
“This is a great shame. Stonegate re-opened The Prince of Wales in October 2022 after giving it what they said was a right royal refurbishment.
“So far, we have no idea what its future might be. One suggestion is that might close for six months and then re-open.
“But given the rate at which pubs are closing across the country it seems doubtful it will be bought by another pub company or turned into a restaurant and the danger is it might be sold to a property company and the site redeveloped as flats.
“East Barnet councillor Phil Cohen has re-assured us that he will see if steps can be taken to look into whether it can be registered as a community asset so that the community do at least get a chance to have a say on what might happen.”
News of the pub’s closure is a real disappointment to Louisa Bayman (left) who was hoping to have lunch there to celebrate her 90th birthday with her daughter Corinne Stewart.
“We tried to book a table for my birthday on 13 February, but they said we couldn’t as the pub is to close on 14 February. I come here regularly with my daughter so you can see how disappointed I am.”
Across the road from The Prince of Wales, Peter Pamment, proprietor of the Power Point electrical shop, said it was very sad to see East Barnet losing another prominent business.
“The Prince of Wales is a real landmark, but you can see a prominent site like that appealing to a property developer and becoming a block of flats.
“East Barnet village has been having a very tough time as a local shopping centre and this could be yet another setback.”
Stonegate Group, which describes itself as the largest pub group in the UK, has a vast portfolio of 4,500 licenced sites – 1,289 are managed sites and 3,284 are leased and tenanted businesses.
Given the increasing burden of paying off interest on the dozen or so major acquisitions of other pub groups since Stonegate was formed in 2010, there was media speculation some months ago that the group might sell off 20 to 25 per cent of its estate.
When The Prince of Wales was refurbished in 2022 the rear garden area was improved together with a transformation of the interior and the introduction of new menu.
According to the Hertford census members of the Jackson family ran a beer house on the site in the early 1880s.
Roger Aitken said he thought that Mr Jackson – who was buried in the graveyard at St Mary’s Church further along Church Hill Road – would be turning in his grave if he knew The Prince of Wales was about to close.
“The fate of the pubs in East Barnet village is a sad tale. The Drum closed in 2006 and around the same time we lost the Cat and Lantern and before that after a fire in 1955 we lost another pub in Cat Hill which is now a butchery.
“At least it is still possible to get a drink at the British Legion club, but it won’t be the same if The Prince of Wales does close for good and isn’t replaced with another pub.”
15 thoughts on “East Barnet looks like losing The Prince of Wales public house — a landmark in the village for 148 years”
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Sad news.
Live locally and drunk there fairly often. The staff have moved onto other Stonegate pubs in Barnet (Tally Ho – North Finchley for example).
Unfortunately many establishments in the area are being closed down, sold to property developers who then turn them into soulless flats for a new incoming population. Hopefully the locals and community can put a stop to it.
Best of luck.
So sad at the news that you are closing permanently! I have just moved back into the area and have so many special memories here. Family pub and typical English community centre. Can’t believe commercial enterprise over people and the community is more important!! How many more cafes, businesses or flats do we need in East Barnet! Think about the community! Michael, who was working tonight was first class, attentive, hard working, so hopefully this brewery will give sort out another job for him. Whole thing is disgraceful, I am so upset. Shame on you.
It’s not the pub it’s the overall business, just spoken to the manager who said the pub is making profit but the company aren’t which is why they are selling the family silver
https://zcm1-zcmp.maillist-manage.eu/click/11df7a507f9a74d4/11df7a507f9a70a4
You can sign the petition if you haven’t already done so. The POW will be sadly missed if it goes!!!
That is the truth! Obv not enough local people are using the pub to make it a viable business!
Another piece of Barnet history and our heritage sold to the highest bidder. Once it’s gone it’s gone and it won’t be coming back…
Sorry Theresa Villiers
Really sad news.. it would be great if we can keep it as a pub and maybe as a community asset.. They haven’t left us much time to get organised.. can u also try our MP Theresa Cilliers and all our local barnet councillors as well.. The more we contact people the more we will be listened to !
If anyone would like to write to their local councillor about this matter, all three East Barnet councillors can be contacted via this link:
https://www.writetothem.com/who?pc=en4+8je
This is really terrible news. The only community meeting spot in East Barnet Village. It’s even worse given the long history of locals running it as a public house since the 1800s. More new build flats will just make the village feel soulless and dead in the evenings and weekends. It’s also so surprising as the pub is often completely full of people buying food and drink so must be viable economically. It also means fewer people using the local shops and businesses and heading elsewhere. I do hope the local council can do something to ensure it remains as a pub or community spot instead of enriching housing developers further. Please post a story if there is a local petition or any way this can be stopped!
This is absolutely devastating for the local community. We have recently moved to the area, and the community feel (driven largely by the Prince of Wales) was a huge reason we chose this area. Where will locals to East Barnet Village meet without a local pub? Where can you have an unplanned chat with a neighbour without a common place to meet? Closure of this historical institution will make this area hugely less appealing to anyone considering moving here, and will decimate the local village vibe (not to mention property prices). We will be writing to our local councillors to encourage registering this location a protected community asset, and encourage others to do the same. Please do also post here if there is a petition to save this institution.
Use it or lose it.
We eat ou Sunday dinner there regularly. We have a table reserved every week. We know the staff, they know us. We even eat there on special occasions. We love that pub. It’s our local. We are gutted it’s closing down. I think the Stonehouse group were very underhanded the way they told their staff. They gave them one month’s notice. And the one of the staff lives above the pub and she has to find somewhere else to live as well as a new job and all in a month! ARE YOU JOKING?
This is such shocking and sad news. A piece of history could be gone for forever and replaced by flats! We need to save this pub!!
Such sad news for our community. I have been drinking in the Prince for over 30 years. Its so nice to have at the bottom of our road to socialise in. We use it a lot in the Summer, we spend some nights in there at Christmas and often eat in the restaurant area when we family over. There really isn’t anywhere to go to now that’s walking distance and of decent quality. It really will be a huge loss to the area. Let’s hope whoever has bought it keeps it as a pub but perhaps introduces some fresh ideas.