The New Malton: Popular North Yorkshire gastropub is forced to shut for winter as it battles cost-of-living crisis

Gemma Williams and Anthony Gillham are the co-owners of the New Malton, in Malton’s marketplace.

The Grade II listed pub has long enjoyed a good reputation both in the town and beyond – but has now closed its doors for the duration of winter.

A sign in its window reads: “Due to the huge increase in energy prices and the fact we are approaching the winter, we have taken the decision to mothball until at least the new year in order to control costs.”

Mr Gillham told the Yorkshire Post: “It was something we were thinking about as a possibility for months.

"We were just waiting to see what the Government did – but not a lot happened.

"We've had companies throwing deals at us but none of them would offer us less than a two year contract, and we’d be tied in to prices double what we were paying.

"We’re still recovering from covid as a business, but frankly since Brexit, costs have gone through the roof.

“If we were to make profit on a pint of Guiness, we’d have to charge £7.75 a pint.

"People won’t pay that kind of money.”

The couple decided to shut up the pub building, owned by the Fitzwilliam Malton estate. All staff have been offered work in their second premises, Omni, also in Malton.

"The only way to control things is to close the doors,” Mr Gillham said. “We've paid the rent for another quarter and this is the only way to get through to next year and control any losses.”

"The Government kept on putting off decisions, and we don’t know where we’re going to be.

"We could reverse this at any time if our new Prime Minister wanted to sort this out.

"We speak to people in the trade and people are closing left, right and centre. Pubs are important for people’s mental health at the minute.

"The Government should be doing more to help.”

It comes as a survey of more than 500 businesses in the hospitality sector last month found that the vast majority are facing higher energy and food costs, which has sent confidence in the future survival of their firm plummeting.

The survey found that more than a third of hospitality businesses were expecting to be operating at a loss or be financially unviable by the end of the year. It comes as a massive 96 per cent said they were experiencing higher energy costs and 93 per cent complained of food price inflation.

Meanwhile, more than three quarters of hospitality venues reported seeing a decline in people eating and drinking out in a sign that cost-of-living pressures have taken a toll on consumer spending, with 85 per cent expecting it to get worse.

Mr Gillham said: “If people don't support pubs, they’ll go.

“And once they’ve gone, they won’t come back.

"It’s so important that people get out there.”