Wetherspoons is set to close one of its pubs in a historic UK city this week. The Spon Gate in Coventry will call time after what was described as a ‘commercial decision’ by pub company JD Wetherspoon.
Named after one of the 12 gates in Coventry’s medieval wall, the venue on Croft Road is one of three pubs in the city centre owned by the largest pub chain in the UK. Its closure will leave The Earl of Mercia, on High Street, and The Flying Standard on Trinity Street in the city centre. The City Arms in Earlsdon also remains. There is no suggestion those venues are at risk of closure. Wetherspoonsspokesman Eddie Gershon said: “It is closing. It is a commercial decision taken by Wetherspoon. We thank all our staff and customers over the years.”
A closing date for the venue has not been confirmed and it is unclear if staff will lose jobs or be deployed to other Wetherspoon pubs.
The Spon Gate forms part of the Skydome complex. The pub is decorated with photographs and drawings showing Coventry’s medieval history.
The Spon Gate formed one of the entrances to walled Coventry. It was found on Spon Street, near St John’s Church. The walls of the city were demolished under the order of Charles II in 1662 leaving on the city’s gates behind.
The Spon Gate survived until 1771 when it too was demolished, lending its name to the Wetherspoons pub when it opened in 2010.
Since Wetherspoons announced the company intended to sell off pubs in July 2023, dozens of the company’s 800 pubs have closed, including in Todmorden, Ashfield, Middlesbrough, London, Romford, Cornwall, and Wanstead.
Two more are now set to close, the Ivor Davies in Cardiff and Sir Daniel Arms in Swindon. Earlier this month, the chain announced that it will be opening 15 more pubs up and down the UK.
