One of the owners of The Ship pub in Surfleet Seas End have said it will ‘hopefully’ be a pub again after the doors closed last week.
Visitors turned up to the pub on Monday to find the Seas End Road establishment closed and a notice on the door.
It states: “It is with much regret and sadness that The Ship Inn will be closed.
“It has been incredibly difficult since the 2020 Covid experience as many retail and hospitality businesses have experienced.
“The decided path of the current government has made it nearly impossible to absorb the usual highs and lows of running a small business and with the knowledge of the upcoming further increases to the national minimum wage, National Insurance contributions, council tax rises and the ongoing energy crisis, and rising supplier prices leaves us with no choice in this unfortunate decision.
“There is only so much we can charge with good conscience for a pint or a portion of fish and chips.
“Sadly, I fear we will not be the only ones facing these difficult decisions in the months to come much like the many families are with the cost of living crisis across the nation.
“We would like to thank all of you and our staff for their continued support.”
When asked if they’d be selling the property as a pub, owner Susan Parker said: “Hopefully. It would be a shame if it wasn’t, as it’s been a pub since the mid 1600s I think.
“It’s difficult though.
“Closing is something that we’d been thinking of for a while as every business is experiencing the rising costs.”
