A PUB in Winchester has closed down after former staff members took action after not being paid. 

The announcement was made on The Roebuck Inn's website with staff thanking everyone who supported the Winchester pub during the Covid-19 pandemic.

An increase in running costs associated with the ongoing cost-of-living costs is also thought to be behind the decision.

The statement on the website reads: "Due to the significant drop in trade and increase in running costs associated with the cost-of-living crisis (compounding COVID impacts), the business has unfortunately had to cease trading.

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"Trade was considerably lower than expectations in the last third of the year and the forecast for Q1 and Q2 for 2023 is very poor; which makes the business unviable in its current form."

"We would like to thank all our staff and customers who have supported us through COVID and the current energy & cost crisis, and can only apologise to everyone that this decision has had to be made. We wish you a happy 2023."

As previously reported some former employees of The Roebuck Inn, in Fulflood, say they are owed as much as £2,000.

But the pub said it was working towards getting all past and present employees and suppliers paid by Christmas - and the proprietor Chris Airey said they had been hit hard by rising energy prices and bills and a lack of custom due to the cost of living crisis. 

Many former staff members have turned to the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service or taken legal action.

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One of the first was Emily Hamill-Loader who helped manager Mark Bowman and his wife Helen take over the pub with Mr Airey in October 2019.

Miss Hamill-Loader, 25, has since successfully won an employment tribunal for which proprietor Mr Airey was ordered to pay £2,692.40 each to Emily and her colleague Oliver Henshall. The sum remains unpaid since the judgement on February 4, 2022.

She said: “When you’re owed that amount of money you can’t leave, you’re in too deep.”

The 22-year-old said problems with payments started in February 2020.

By Christmas that year, Emily said she was not paid enough money to get through December.