Telford’s first gastro pub today closed its doors after falling victim to the recession.
The boss of The Malthouse in Ironbridge said he had failed in his bid to revive the business after going into administration in 2007.
Alex Nicoll said: “We tried to put together a package for The Malthouse to survive but it was unable to do so in the long term. The fixed costs got too high and the turnover has slumped significantly in the last three or four months.”
The Malthouse, which offered meals and rooms in a riverside 18th century building, sparked big changes in Ironbridge in 1998 when it became the first pub in the area to cash in on the good food revolution.
Several other businesses followed Mr Nicoll’s lead and The Wharfage soon became packed with restaurants, bistros and pubs. But in recent years trade has been hit by wet summers and devastating floods.
Mr Nicoll’s company, which ran both The Malthouse and The Hub in Telford Town Centre, went into administration in June 2007. He set up a new company to run The Malthouse and his team of 25 staff there.
14 Comments
I can unfortunately see why it didn’t survive - it no longer achieved ‘gastro pub’ standard!
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Such a shame, Malthouse was a great pub full of great memories! Hope they find a buyer soon and hopefully will keep all the staff on and amazing live bands!!
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This is sad news although no surprise, this was one of my favourite pubs in Ironbridge however after it went into adminstration the first time it never really got back on its feet and lost everything that was good about the place, such as service and food hence being one of the first to go, what a shame.
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How sorry I am to hear of The Malthouse in Ironbridge closing.
A few years ago, when living in Albrighton, I enjoyed many a drink in the above mentioned pub.
Hope someone will buy it and, therefore, save it from the wrecker’s ball.
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I know !
Let’s dig up the road along the wharfage, close it off for a few months - ()to put in a new electricity cable in - and see how many more businesses we can kill off (see other news article today)
Good game this !
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Far too many STAFF. Over eating is a dying passtime. Let’s get back to “the basic Pub” with Ham and salad or cheese roles.
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Large premises, poor food and a general poor taste in Live bands - enough to wreck any pub. This however is not the main reason that the Malthouse has closed. Having lived in Ironbridge for several years I was lucky enough to be able to walk home following what was always a good night. Since moving from Ironbridge however, when I return for a night out, it’s become an absolute nightmare to get home. Taxi firms either refust to come, say they’ll come and don’t or come and take someone else. The Malthouse won’t be the last pub to fail in Ironbridge, as they can’t survive solely on local trade!
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SameOldIronbridge, its not the puibs fault about the taxis? blame taxi rank you called, iv always found it easy and reliable to get back from ironbridge via taxi. Pub is beautiful, decor and artwork on walls individual and great, food lovely, live bands excellent…think you have either been going to the wrong pub or maybe just getting a bit grumpy and old.
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TotallyShocked: Sounds like you’re describing the Malthouse/Ironbridge of 10 yrs ago! I went down Ironbridge New Yrs Eve for an early evening drink (6.20pm) with friends. The only pub open was ‘It’s All About Me’ (which BTW had free entry, food and music) - every other pub was closed and ticket only when they did open - I wonder why the pub trades struggling!Same as when you go down Ironbridge at the weekend and can’t get anything to eat in a pub after 3.00pm - some tourist attraction! The comment on Taxis is absolutely something that the pubs can do something about by liaising with the council over a decent taxi rank, negotiating with the taxi companies to have an Ironbridge ‘presence’, banding together to provide a better ‘Ironbridge’ experience. We’re just too use in this county/country to accepting rubbish service in the absence of any reasonable alternative.
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shame really, the Swan is the best pub down there anyway!!!
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SameOldIronbridge: ‘Sounds like you’re describing the Malthouse/Ironbridge of 10 yrs ago!’-exactly when you were younger and less demanding perhaps? Every time i have called a taxi its been there within 10 mins, maybe its your attitude they can pick up on the phone that makes them take their time? I never understand how people can belittle other peoples businesses when they have no idea about the hard work that goes into running them .I for one am a great fan of Ironbridge, its a great night out for all ages and everyone i have spoken to about it agrees. We should be supporting our local pubs not running them all down!
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Comment #1:
Why is it that any pub that serves borderline average pub grub is labelled a “gastro-pub”? For crying out loud.
Want to eat at a “gastro-pub”? Go to The Fat Duck, in Bray.
Want to eat seriously good food without paying Blumenthal prices? Try Osteria di Paolo, or The Old Orleton, or The Grosvenor in Chester, or The Summerlodge in Dorset.
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@ Spindrift, because it’s annoying when you wanna pay a bit more and have a quality meal but nearly everywhere sells pub grub. Even worse when pubs such as the malt house are closing.
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I’d just like to say that all of the staff at the Malthouse did their best to try and make that pub survive. All the staff worked like troopers for that place and it will be sadly missed.
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