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21
Jan
Historic Harrogate pub to close
The Old Bell in Harrogate is to close this weekend.
The iconic pub, on Royal Parade, opened in 1999. The site formerly housed the Blue Bell Inn, which closed in 1815 and was later demolished.
The Old Bell has since become something of an institution in the town and even former US president Bill Clinton visited in 2001.
The pub today published a statement on social media to announce the closure, which said the news came with a “heavy heart”.
It added:
Since opening our doors, we’ve had the absolute pleasure of serving this amazing community.
We want to take a moment to say a huge thank you to all the incredible staff who have been part of The Old Bell family over the years — you’ve been the heart and soul of this place, and we couldn’t have done it without you.
The post said loyal customers made the pub a home and thanked them for their unwavering support.
“We are truly grateful”, it also said.
The statement added:
We’d love to see as many of you as possible this week to raise a glass, share your memories, and say goodbye in style. Let’s make our final days ones to remember!
Thank you for everything, Harrogate.
The statement generated a strong reaction from pubgoers.
Commentors described the closure as “such sad news”, with many saying how much they love the pub.
Credit: The Old Bell
The Old Bell was refurbished in 2023, before being listed for sale at an asking price of £1.25 million.
According to Rightmove, the property – which also includes a number of offices and a one-bedroom flat – is under offer. It is not known if the sale is related to the closure.
The Stray Ferret approached The Old Bell today after receiving a report of its closure. We were told there was no one available to speak to us and to call back tomorrow.
We also contacted Market Town Taverns, which operates the pub, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
The Old Bell’s final day of trading will be Saturday, January 25.
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