Fears have been raised that a struggling Kingston pub could fall into the hands of property developers, after the owners put the establishment up for sale.
Despite several rebrands, management changes and thousands of pounds of investment, operator Punch Taverns is cutting its losses with the Queen’s Head in Richmond Road and selling up – for an asking price of about £1.6m.
The Queen's Head opened in the 1890s, in response to newly opened Kingston station
And now there is concern the pub could end up as a block of flats, a supermarket – or just stand empty like the nearby Richmond Park Tavern.
Frankie Kearns, of the Park Brewery, a micro-brewery in Elm Road, said: “People are worried it will be flats.
“We went to look at it partly out of curiosity, but also because it has a stable out the back, which could make a beautiful brewery.
“We talked about the possibility of running a brewery with somebody else running the pub and some funding.
“But we feel that it will go to the developers unless someone has the time and energy to put together a community bid.”
Glen Keywood, chairman of Burton Road, Richmond Park and Gibbon Road Residents’ Association, tweeted: “A shame, but no surprise. Constant mismanagement – too big – whole place needs a rethink. It should thrive.”
Andree Frieze tweeted: “Really don’t want it standing empty like the Richmond Park Tavern.”
The Queen’s Head was originally built in the 1890s in response to the opening of Kingston station.
Over the years it had its name changed to Eddie Ryan’s and the Owl and the Pussycat.
In 2012 Punch Taverns spent £350,000 on refurbishing the pub in a bid to attract more customers.
Last June the pub was taken over by Ian and Elle Betchley, who renamed it the Queen’s Gastro Bar, with an emphasis on a “relaxed, family atmosphere”.
A spokesman from Punch Taverns did not rule out offers from property developers, but said: “Following a detailed review of our estate and the historical performance of the pub, a decision was made to put the freehold of the Queens Head on the open market for sale.
“There have been a number of offers to purchase the property, including offers from pub operators.
“We are now considering those offers.”
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