The Lamb and Flag to shutter permanently
Oxford University's St John's College operates the pub in the city centre
The Lamb and Flag pub in Oxford is set to permanently close after 400 years of trading.
The pub which has been located on St Giles since 1613 is due to close on 31 January as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
According to St John’s College which operates the venue, ongoing restrictions have left the owners unable to break even despite being briefly able to reopen last August.
It is believed that all staff have been placed on furlough, however they may face redundancy when the venue closes.
The Grade II listed building was said to have been frequented by historic English writers such as JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis and Thomas Hardy.
Steve Elston, deputy bursar ,St John’s College, Oxford University, said: “The Lamb and Flag, like many other businesses in the hospitality industry, has been hard hit by the pandemic. Despite the best efforts of the staff and looking at every option to keep it open, the trading figures of the last 12 months have meant that the pub is not currently financially viable.
“Therefore, the directors of the Lamb and Flag Ltd have regrettably been obliged to close the pub. We know that it holds an important place in Oxford’s history. The pub will remain in the College’s ownership and the focus now is to work to look beyond the present situation and ensure the pub’s long-term future is secured.”
