‘Wetherspoons is killing me off,’ says Downham Market landlady

A second Downham pub may be “forced” to close this year, which its landlady says is due to the competition with a chain in the town.

Ann Cameron Smith, who runs the Cock Tavern on Lynn Road, also fears town history will be “lost” if she does shut its doors for good.

It comes after the Swan Hotel on High Street closed its doors in March, with its landlord Brendan Morgan saying he could not compete with the prices at nearby JD Wetherspoon pub the Whalebone on Bridge Street, which opened last year.

Miss Cameron Smith said: “I have put on Facebook the intention to close the Cock Tavern, after 25 years offering my support to numerous charities, supported and aided customers in their hour of tragedy, loneliness or need, offered a genuine pub experience of community where all can come in, find a friendly face to talk to, play pub games to compete in local leagues, which will fold with no venues.”

She said the closure of the Cock Tavern would leave Downham with only one “community pub”, as she claims the Whalebone does not offer the same level of personal customer interaction as independent businesses – something which the chain refutes.

She said: “None of this personal customer interaction is available in a Wetherspoon outlet, designed as a soulless, canteen environment with very cheap, average products.”

Miss Cameron Smith added: “The hard-working, self-employed ‘landlords’ in our town have put their lives and savings into their businesses.”

She believes those who used to be her regular customers are now patrons of the Whalebone.

“We, the little businesses, just cannot compete with big chains. My once regulars say they go there because it is so cheap, especially those on a pension,” she added.

“I don’t want to shut my doors, this is my life, but Wetherspoons has forced my hand into making this painful decision.

“This is the hard reality - ‘use it or lose it’ has never rung so true.”

With her crib season having ended, which was a reliable source of income, she is hoping events such as a sausage and beer festival, held during the same week as Downham Market Festival from Sunday, May 26 to Sunday, June 2, will increase footfall.

Miss Cameron Smith said she plans to shut the pub for a month while she is on holiday in September, and, if things have not improved by then, that “might be the point the pub doesn’t reopen”.

Miss Cameron Smith said: “The pub will be closed and lost to this town forever and my retirement plans in ruins. This is town history lost.”

Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “It is always sad if a pub closes, however, Wetherspoon is in competition with all other pubs, not only in Downham Market, but wherever one of our pubs is located.

“The Whalebone has been a great success since opening and ultimately it is for people to decide which pub they choose to socialise in.

“The landlady is entitled to her view about the Whalebone.

“It is something we totally refute and thousands of customers each week would seem to agree with us.”