Jolly Sailor: Wetherspoon pub in Hanham goes up for sale

A Wetherspoon pub in Hanham has been listed for sale - in the same week a TripAdvisor reviewer unhappy over the food and staff slammed it as the ‘worst Wetherspoon’.

The Jolly Sailor in Hanham High Street is one of 32 pubs being sold off by the pub chain over rising food and energy costs and a lack of staff. It is one of only two out of the 32 in the South West, the other being the Bank House in Cheltenham.

The group, which has around 300 pubs and hotels in the UK and Ireland, said the decision to sell off the pubs was a ‘commercial decision’, citing the cost to upkeep the buildings, and increased staff wages.

The Jolly Sailor’s history goes back to the 18th century and its name links to the nearby River Avon. One of its earliest landlords was Jospeh Bateman, who was a relative of Reverend Robert Bateman who sank with the Titanic in 1912.

But today it is up for sale, and a listing has been put up by commercial property specialists Savills. It states that the pub is a two-storey semidetached building with indoor seating for 74 customers.

It adds that pub occupies a central position in the town fronting the busy High Street with several parks and community facilities close by.

However, not everyone will be disappointed at the pub’s sale.

Last week a reviewer on TripAdvisor called 22lynne22 said the pub should be shut down.

They said staff turnover along with a lack of knowledge and experience, plus poor food made it the ‘worst wetherspoon’.

She added that with customers having to go downstairs to get drinks before carrying them back up posed a health and safety issue.

”One day I saw an elderly lady struggling upstairs carrying a heavy tray of drinks, whilst trying to hold on to the banister,” she wrote.

The pub will continue to operate as a Wetherspoon until it is sold, said the company.

Eddie Gershon, its spokesman, said: “On occasion, Wetherspoon does put some of its pubs up for sale. This is a commercial decision.

“We understand that customers and staff will be disappointed with it.”