'Oldest pub in Britain' to go on sale after doors shut due to COVID
Ye Olde Fighting Cocks has been open for thirteen centuries
Last updated 10th Feb 2022
A pub which is thought to be the oldest in Britain is now going under the hammer as its previous owners needed to shut its doors.
The Ye Olde Fighting Cocks in Hertfordshire had been open and serving the local community for over thirteen centuries.
But due to hardships triggered by the COVID pandemic, the pub has had to go into administration in order to pay the bills.
As a result, the pub has had to shut its doors on Friday, bringing an end of over a thousand years of tradition in the area.
The announcement was met with shock from the local community, who have tried to raise funds to keep the bar open.
However, on a post on Facebook, management for the pub said that it would be impossible to maintain, as government restrictions on the selling of alcohol made it harder to make a profit.
Speaking to Forth 1, Christo Tofalli, who owned the pub for the past ten years told of the international interest to keep the establishment open.
"Over the last few days, we've seen a backlash, and the feeling is worldwide of people that care about the pub," he said.
"The thousands of messages of people I've met from around the world that have remembered coming over the last ten years is humbling."
Mr Tofalli says that he hopes the new owners will be able to keep the pub open as the country moves out of the pandemic.