Shock closure of city pub (From This is Hampshire)
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Shock closure of The Obelisk pub in Woolston
12:01pm Tuesday 12th April 2011 in News
The Obelisk in Woolston
MYSTERY surrounds the future of a wellknown neighbourhood pub in Southampton after it suddenly closed without explanation.
Steel shutters and a “pub to let” sign have gone up at the Obelisk Hotel pub in Woolston.
Now the long-standing community boozer known for its pub quizzes, live acts and outside play area is lifeless amid mounting fears that last orders have been served.
The pub’s owner Enterprise Inns is remaining tight-lipped about why the lease ended or whether it would sell the building as a pub business or for development.
A company spokesman told the Echo: “We are currently considering all our options for our pub. There are no firm decisions at the moment.”
A sign has been posted in its window, dated Thursday, March 31, and detailing a “notice of peaceful entry” by the pub company who stated that it had entered the premises and that “the lease is at an end”.
The pub was formerly run by Gary Gawn and Rachel Booth.
The abrupt closure has been met with dismay among local people.
Mile Newton, of Swift Road, said: “It has been here for such a long time, it was a such a vibrant pub, so it is sad to see it shut up.”
Cllr Warwick Payne, who represents the Woolston ward on Southampton City Council, said: “My wife and I are regulars at the Obelisk and whenever we have gone there they have always seemed to be doing a good trade.
“The Obelisk Hotel is one of Southampton’s most historic pubs and to suddenly find it closed when I had only left town for the weekend came as a horrible surprise.
“I will be approaching Enterprise Inns for immediate talks on why the pub closed without warning and what help I can offer to get it reopened as soon as possible.”
Comments(53)
Ooh friend
says...
12:29pm Tue 12 Apr 11
Terrible shame another traditional pub gone.
Here, There
says...
12:38pm Tue 12 Apr 11
Mr Cynical
says...
12:54pm Tue 12 Apr 11
StEmmosfire
says...
12:57pm Tue 12 Apr 11
and the occasional bust up or two. Wasnt there an arms incident here a few years go where a sawn off shot gun was used?
North-South-West
says...
1:01pm Tue 12 Apr 11
Soton1976
says...
1:03pm Tue 12 Apr 11
I use to go to the Obelisk when I was younger and had a few laughs there. I really hope that it doesn't get turned into flats, that place has a lot of history. I think that it is a listed building so I don't think that it could be knocked down.
Safehands
says...
1:04pm Tue 12 Apr 11
Pub owners seem quite happy now to make easy money by selling their land for development and not giving a hoot about the customers who spend their cash at their establishments.
I do find it bizarre that pubs in and around Woolston are closing at an alarming rate and yet more bars are supposedly going to be built on the old Vospers site.
thisaintjustice
says...
1:08pm Tue 12 Apr 11
the bridge is a much better pub anyway... whats a five minute walk.
cherries_matty
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1:22pm Tue 12 Apr 11
I had heard rumours of Weatherspoons taking over the old Bingo Hall. Not sure whether this is true but I'd imagine it would do very well were they to do so?
Keith Oftergrass
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1:26pm Tue 12 Apr 11
Whatsitallabout
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1:32pm Tue 12 Apr 11
Soton1976 wrote:"Soton1976, Southampton says...
Well it would be a very sad thing if the pub has closed down, its seems to be happening in many places that the "local" has closed. Its like in Bitterne the Percey Arms closed down a few months ago. I use to go to the Obelisk when I was younger and had a few laughs there. I really hope that it doesn't get turned into flats, that place has a lot of history. I think that it is a listed building so I don't think that it could be knocked down.
1:03pm Tue 12 Apr 11
......... I think that it is a listed building so I don't think that it could be knocked down."
Probably not, but wasn't the Red Lion In Totton also listed? Didn't stop it burning down!
shibby78
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1:35pm Tue 12 Apr 11
Soton1976
says...
2:09pm Tue 12 Apr 11
But I don't think it took off as well as they like, seemed to have stop with the last people that ran the pub.
Bassett bumps
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2:13pm Tue 12 Apr 11
Soton1976
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2:38pm Tue 12 Apr 11
Bassett bumps wrote:Umm Bassett bumps, Woolston isn't that bad, there are some nice areas in Woolston, yes ok the shopping area needs to be tarted up a bit, but its not that rough an area!!!
Bolt it up, sell it and then build more caaancil aasis on it......Woolston is crying out to compete with Thornhill, The Warren and Millbrook for the annual chav knees up award......The event includes bobbing for hedgehogs in chip fat. "Who can claim the most benefits in one year, without leaving the estate". "How many pups has me staff knocked out in a year, before we abandoned it" award. it also includes, a special gold cup for the family that have phoned the police the most, wondering why their kids under 10, aint in before 2 in the morning.....Yes, all this could soon come to Woolston, the quicker they build more free housing.....
Bassett bumps
says...
2:50pm Tue 12 Apr 11
Soton1976 wrote:Umm, i think you'll find it is getting that way....The shopping area will not make a scrap of difference to the up and coming chav population.
Bassett bumps wrote:Umm Bassett bumps, Woolston isn't that bad, there are some nice areas in Woolston, yes ok the shopping area needs to be tarted up a bit, but its not that rough an area!!!
Bolt it up, sell it and then build more caaancil aasis on it......Woolston is crying out to compete with Thornhill, The Warren and Millbrook for the annual chav knees up award......The event includes bobbing for hedgehogs in chip fat. "Who can claim the most benefits in one year, without leaving the estate". "How many pups has me staff knocked out in a year, before we abandoned it" award. it also includes, a special gold cup for the family that have phoned the police the most, wondering why their kids under 10, aint in before 2 in the morning.....Yes, all this could soon come to Woolston, the quicker they build more free housing.....
Linesman
says...
2:58pm Tue 12 Apr 11
Totton Ric wrote:Rip the hart out?
Enterprise Inns also owned the Red Lion in Totton that also shut quickly !,rip the hart out of communitys,they will sell the land for flats,poss lindens ?
That is no way to treat deer!
Family Man
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3:18pm Tue 12 Apr 11
treehamer
says...
3:22pm Tue 12 Apr 11
Just a shame a few more within the local community don't support their local pubs.
As for the comment referring to The Bridge being a better pub, I beg to differ. I go in there on a regular basis & thank god for the regulars being friendly cos the landlord & landlady are severely lacking in this department!!!
treehamer
says...
3:26pm Tue 12 Apr 11
shibby78
says...
3:53pm Tue 12 Apr 11
osaronikos
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4:11pm Tue 12 Apr 11
freemantlegirl2
says...
4:19pm Tue 12 Apr 11
treehamer wrote:Worst kind of snobbery...... inverted snobbery....! obviously has some kind of chip on his/her shoulder....
What a bunch of snobs, there was nothing wrong with The Obby, always found the locals to be a friendly bunch and my fella's band played there numerous times, which was always a fun night.
Just a shame a few more within the local community don't support their local pubs.
As for the comment referring to The Bridge being a better pub, I beg to differ. I go in there on a regular basis & thank god for the regulars being friendly cos the landlord & landlady are severely lacking in this department!!!
treehamer
says...
5:17pm Tue 12 Apr 11
obbygirl
says...
5:41pm Tue 12 Apr 11
Mr Cynical wrote:Its interesting how people with very little information feel they know what is happening. To put a few "facts" straight. The shooting at the pub, was not with a sawn off shotgun and was a totally random event that couldhave happened anywere. This was nothing to do with the regular clientele of the pub. As for it being a fight club, The Obby had one of the cleanest records according to the police. The pub also has not changed hands many times, it has been run by hardworking people whose hands were tied by the extortionate rent and beer prices of the brewery and the sky high business rates, I know it was nothing to do with lack of effort or business acumen.
No, but my guess is that it's the inconvenience of having tenants/leaseholders who can't run a pub properly and pay their bills...
The Obelisk was run by a family for for familes and was ot the chavtastic hovel that seems to be being perpetuated on here.
peple if you have something to say get the facts staight first.
freemantlegirl2
says...
5:42pm Tue 12 Apr 11
treehamer wrote:sorry didn't explain myself well, didn't mean you but Bassett humps (deliberate mistake) was agreeing with you :)
@freemantle girl.. not at all.. but it really annoys me when people that don't even drink in the area make assumptions about the clientele of certain pubs..
Bassett bumps
says...
6:00pm Tue 12 Apr 11
freemantlegirl2 wrote:I made a statement regarding the area as a whole....Or the area as a hole...Either way, i'm right. Freemantle is also one of the up and coming no go areas of Southampton......Oh, how i'm glad i moved to a quiet dwelling by the Test, before the chav bacteria spread across Southampton.....It's incredible, that someone would not only live, but actually advertise they resided in Freemantle.....Ah well, maybe it was a step up for the poor wee girl.....Though from where, heaven knows....
treehamer wrote:sorry didn't explain myself well, didn't mean you but Bassett humps (deliberate mistake) was agreeing with you :)
@freemantle girl.. not at all.. but it really annoys me when people that don't even drink in the area make assumptions about the clientele of certain pubs..
Big Mac
says...
6:13pm Tue 12 Apr 11
Be aware of their sensitivity and the impact it may have on any rational response.
freemantlegirl2
says...
6:19pm Tue 12 Apr 11
Big Mac wrote:Don't fret Big Mac I think his/her post says ever ything there is to know about inverted snobbery :p
Bassett Bumps, can you please reframe from rattling the cages of the regular posters on here. It's OK to have a little fun, but not at the expense of others.
Be aware of their sensitivity and the impact it may have on any rational response.
I'm just about to start a Freemantle fan club ;) (I'm waiting for the stampede of members, especially with our proposed new power station)with myself as Secretary and Southy as an Honorary member from Redbridge ;) Much Love from my lovely quiet and humble dwelling beside my kids' paddling pool and our bluebells and tulips in the garden....... bliss!
Mr Cynical
says...
6:52pm Tue 12 Apr 11
obbygirl wrote:@obbygirl
Mr Cynical wrote:Its interesting how people with very little information feel they know what is happening. To put a few "facts" straight. The shooting at the pub, was not with a sawn off shotgun and was a totally random event that couldhave happened anywere. This was nothing to do with the regular clientele of the pub. As for it being a fight club, The Obby had one of the cleanest records according to the police. The pub also has not changed hands many times, it has been run by hardworking people whose hands were tied by the extortionate rent and beer prices of the brewery and the sky high business rates, I know it was nothing to do with lack of effort or business acumen.
No, but my guess is that it's the inconvenience of having tenants/leaseholders who can't run a pub properly and pay their bills...
The Obelisk was run by a family for for familes and was ot the chavtastic hovel that seems to be being perpetuated on here.
peple if you have something to say get the facts staight first.
If the owners had to gain entry to the property it smacks of maybe the landlords not paying their bills.
Whatever the reason it would not make financial sense for enterprise or any other brewery to hike bills to such an extent that they don't get paid.
If that is the case enterprise would have been wound up by now.
Any people running a pub leasehold would know what to expect, otherwise they wouldn't be doing it and would try somewhere else.
obbygirl
says...
7:07pm Tue 12 Apr 11
saint obby
says...
7:23pm Tue 12 Apr 11
Mr Cynical
says...
7:45pm Tue 12 Apr 11
obbygirl wrote:You being a regular at a pub makes you an expert on pub companies?
Then it shows how little you know Mr Cynical about pub companies let aone the reasons why they reenter pubs.
My point about the leaseholders clearly not paying what was legally due stands unanswered then?
And I've no axe to grind about the family nature of the place or whether it was frequented by chavs or snobs- that is irrelevant.
SpittingFire
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8:24pm Tue 12 Apr 11
.
Two pub demise stories in one day. Hope there's a taker for the tenancy on this one. Sad news for the local community.
.
obbygirl
says...
8:45pm Tue 12 Apr 11
Reality-man
says...
8:47pm Tue 12 Apr 11
3:26pm Tue 12 Apr 11
May I just add that Gary & Rachel tried really hard to make a go of it at The Obby but ultimately their hands were tied due to Enterprise Inns...
......Not what I heard?
SpittingFire
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9:05pm Tue 12 Apr 11
tuesday
says...
9:16pm Tue 12 Apr 11
a and e
says...
10:12pm Tue 12 Apr 11
SpittingFire wrote:bassett grump couldnt hack it in the flower roads , hence his snotty outlook on life.
Bassett bumps wrote:Interesting retort Bassett bumps.
SpittingFire wrote:And a Jacksy, is exactly what Woolston is.
freemantlegirl2 wrote:Never mind a tower, this bumptious Bassett bump should try and perch aloft an obelisk for a change, freemonster; they could do with a kick up the jacksy.
Bassett bumps wrote:LOL, is it lonely up there in your Ivory Tower on the Test?
"Much Love from my lovely quiet and humble dwelling beside my kids' paddling pool and our bluebells and tulips in the garden" ???..........Umm, how about "Much hatred from my crumbling dwelling beside the broken sewer and our un-weeded scrapyard and dumping grounds for refrigerator gardens......Now that's the Freemantle we all know........
.
Incidentally, the flower roads are looking good time time of year aren't they... You're an exemplar to the rest of 'em that way, that they indeed can make it in life... provided you illustrate that it's often wise to go take a hike at some point.
Mr Cynical
says...
11:04pm Tue 12 Apr 11
Some seem to flit from pub to pub after racking up debt after debt, and some have leases on two or more pubs with different breweries while still leaving debt all over the place.
Sounds like another for the list. And possibly another pub landlord filing for bankruptcy in the not too distant future.
southy
says...
12:43am Wed 13 Apr 11
Reality-man wrote:Enterprise inns are just like Hansons true Thatcherites "Asset strippers" all they are interested in how much the land is worth.
treehamer, Woolston says...
3:26pm Tue 12 Apr 11
May I just add that Gary & Rachel tried really hard to make a go of it at The Obby but ultimately their hands were tied due to Enterprise Inns...
......Not what I heard?
Bassett bumps
says...
7:44am Wed 13 Apr 11
a and e wrote:Hmmm. "couldn't hack it in the flower roads". Your posting is one of an individual, that sees such an event as one of lifes positives. You seem to give the impression you live there are have lived there............I don't need to "hack" the flower roads, as the cave people that dwell within the labyrinths of such an out-dated pit, that are almost a species unto their own, have pretty much "hacked" the place to pieces already............N
SpittingFire wrote:bassett grump couldnt hack it in the flower roads , hence his snotty outlook on life.
Bassett bumps wrote:Interesting retort Bassett bumps.
SpittingFire wrote:And a Jacksy, is exactly what Woolston is.
freemantlegirl2 wrote:Never mind a tower, this bumptious Bassett bump should try and perch aloft an obelisk for a change, freemonster; they could do with a kick up the jacksy.
Bassett bumps wrote:LOL, is it lonely up there in your Ivory Tower on the Test?
"Much Love from my lovely quiet and humble dwelling beside my kids' paddling pool and our bluebells and tulips in the garden" ???..........Umm, how about "Much hatred from my crumbling dwelling beside the broken sewer and our un-weeded scrapyard and dumping grounds for refrigerator gardens......Now that's the Freemantle we all know........
.
Incidentally, the flower roads are looking good time time of year aren't they... You're an exemplar to the rest of 'em that way, that they indeed can make it in life... provided you illustrate that it's often wise to go take a hike at some point.
o, i think i'll pass on that and meander through the meadows along the test.
NIGMAN
says...
8:17am Wed 13 Apr 11
bitternite
says...
8:51am Wed 13 Apr 11
Bassett bumps wrote:my quote button is not working!!!
a and e wrote:Hmmm. "couldn't hack it in the flower roads". Your posting is one of an individual, that sees such an event as one of lifes positives. You seem to give the impression you live there are have lived there............I don't need to "hack" the flower roads, as the cave people that dwell within the labyrinths of such an out-dated pit, that are almost a species unto their own, have pretty much "hacked" the place to pieces already............N o, i think i'll pass on that and meander through the meadows along the test.SpittingFire wrote:bassett grump couldnt hack it in the flower roads , hence his snotty outlook on life.Bassett bumps wrote:Interesting retort Bassett bumps. . Incidentally, the flower roads are looking good time time of year aren't they... You're an exemplar to the rest of 'em that way, that they indeed can make it in life... provided you illustrate that it's often wise to go take a hike at some point.SpittingFire wrote:And a Jacksy, is exactly what Woolston is.freemantlegirl2 wrote:Never mind a tower, this bumptious Bassett bump should try and perch aloft an obelisk for a change, freemonster; they could do with a kick up the jacksy.Bassett bumps wrote: "Much Love from my lovely quiet and humble dwelling beside my kids' paddling pool and our bluebells and tulips in the garden" ???..........Umm, how about "Much hatred from my crumbling dwelling beside the broken sewer and our un-weeded scrapyard and dumping grounds for refrigerator gardens......Now that's the Freemantle we all know........LOL, is it lonely up there in your Ivory Tower on the Test?
Was Romsey not in the paper a while ago, is that not the place where they vandalise babies graves.Also, if I remember rightly Romsey town centre
was one of the first places in uk to enforce multiple asbos??
You might as well give up folks, this bump (beer belly or boobies) obviously has a severe personality disorder, so there is no point in any debate with them.
At least they might now direct their venom and hatred of the rest of the world towards me and give the rest of the posters a break.
Personally, if I was living in close proximity to this person I would be afraid, very afraid.
bitternite
says...
9:07am Wed 13 Apr 11
Bassett bumps wrote:ha ha ha, see folks, it worked.don't bother to respond anymore bumpy, I have to go to work now (my own very successful business, before you think it worth another swipe) and after that I am on holiday, so will not be around for anymore delightful banter with a you.
Hmmm. So that's it ? Well, coming from a bittereoik, i'm impressed you strung three words together without dribbling off for your prescription.
As soon as the super glue wears off your computer chair, may I suggest you book yourself a session with a mental health proffessional.
Bassett bumps
says...
9:26am Wed 13 Apr 11
bitternite wrote:Hmmm. "Own very successful business". Somehow, i think not. That would need someone with aptitude and professionalism. Sadly, Bittereoik, you cannot spell professional. Nice try though and 1/10 for effort...Now off you run and get that prescription...oh sorry, i mean holiday....ha ha....
Bassett bumps wrote:ha ha ha, see folks, it worked.don't bother to respond anymore bumpy, I have to go to work now (my own very successful business, before you think it worth another swipe) and after that I am on holiday, so will not be around for anymore delightful banter with a you.
Hmmm. So that's it ? Well, coming from a bittereoik, i'm impressed you strung three words together without dribbling off for your prescription.
As soon as the super glue wears off your computer chair, may I suggest you book yourself a session with a mental health proffessional.
Big Mac
says...
9:28am Wed 13 Apr 11
New account name now comes to mind.
Walter K
says...
9:44am Wed 13 Apr 11
A friend of mine who lives in Romsey Town Centre has been informed by the local Police that the anti social behaviour in the area is carried out by a hardcore of 9 individuals - so I don't think the problems there are comparable in numbers to some of the other areas mentioned.
Big Mac
says...
10:00am Wed 13 Apr 11
So in which case I will cease to.
rharland
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12:36pm Wed 13 Apr 11
KattiekinsSoton
says...
2:55pm Wed 13 Apr 11
Sotongirl79
says...
11:31pm Wed 13 Apr 11
Get the pub re-opened and back to its former Glory!!!
Totton Ric says...
12:26pm Tue 12 Apr 11