The Anchor at Burwell will close by August after owners gave notice to their landlord, brewing giant Greene King.
But the team running the popular Cambridgeshire pub and restaurant plan to continue to grow and develop their other businesses within Holland Hospitality.
These are The White Pheasant in Fordham, The Maids Head in Wicken and Pheasant Catering.
The Anchor released a statement announcing the news to its customers on May 19.
It read: “We want to thank you all for your continued support throughout the past few years, it really has been a rollercoaster journey through unprecedented times; a journey which is now sadly coming to a natural end.
“Over the next few months, we will continue to work hard and strive to deliver some excellent food, great service, and exciting events for Burwell.”
Owner Calvin Holland decided now was the right time to give notice after being asked by the landlord to sign a new five-year contract. In the current climate he felt unable to commit to that.
He says that the decision was a hard one to make, but one that he personally believes is the right one and a “very positive” one too.
“We’ve given a three month notice on the restaurant so we haven’t actually set a date yet for the closure; the latest we’ll close is the beginning of August,” he said.
“At the moment with everything it’s pretty difficult out there. We’ve been pushing for a refurbishment of the pub for the last two and a half years now but decided that with the climate we’re in currently, it was the right time to close.”
He says the decision he has made is the first time he’s ever really thought about his family as he is usually so driven about his career.
“I have a little girl and boy, and I met my wife two weeks before I took on The White Pheasant,” he said.
“Due to the nature of my job I never really get to see them.”
Calvin says that the team he’s been working with at The Anchor have been “really good.”
“We’ve had a lot of staff come and go, but we’ve also recruited some great people, and most of these will be coming with us to our other properties if their job role fits,” he said.
“Our head chef Alex will be moving over to The White Pheasant and will be running that alongside myself.”
Even though Calvin is very positive about the closure and what it will bring for his other restaurants, he knows that no one is more gutted about it than himself.
“It’s gutting but it’s the right decision now we’re in massively uncertain times,” he said.
“We’ll be continuing to do what we do at our other restaurants, as well as pushing our outside catering company that already has 40 weddings and events booked this year.
“Next year, I’d like to have even more booked and we will also be looking for other properties to work in in the future.”
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