Winchester pub The Albion up for sale as landlord retires

The Albion, in Stockbridge Road, Winchester closed at the beginning of the month to allow landlord of eight and a half years, Simon Burrell, to move out.

Closure signs at The Albion (Image: Adele Bouchard)

Owners Paul Tickner and Jo Bartlett, who bought the freehold in 2015, have put the pub up for sale.

The property, including a cellar and bedrooms over three floors, is being marketed for a guide price of £450,000 by Hellards Estate Agents.

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Retiring landlord Mr Burrell said the co-owners, who also used to own the Flower Pots Inn in Cheriton for many years, hope to sell the pub as soon as possible so it can re-open.

Outgoing landlord Simon Burrell (Image: Adele Bouchard)

Mr Burrell, 65, from Bishopstoke, said: “I’ve had a couple of health issues which made me think it was time to go. I want to go out and do things while I’m still healthy.

“The owners want to diversify the pub and fully retire. The original plan was for the pub to be open again by September but I think that might slip.

“There’s been plenty of interest and people coming into have a look but there’s been no firm offers as far as I’m aware but that’s not my business.

“I’m feeling quite mixed. It’s been a little bit of a love-hate relationship here. We’ve built up a good customer base and it’s very sad for them that we’re closed.

“What I won’t miss is the idiots on a Saturday night. I work all these hours and then get treated with no respect.

“We get lots of stag and hen dos and pub golf because we’re the first stop off the railway. Which is great and we get them while they’re sober. I hope to come back and have a drink here myself.

The Albion, in Stockbridge Road (Image: Adele Bouchard)

“I’m in the dark about what’s going to happen but it’s a good little pub in a good location that is well served by public transport. You’ll never get the money you would in a big pub and we don’t serve food here but it does alright.

“We’ve never had to make any cuts due to the cost of living going up. I’ve always tried to run things as efficiently as possible.”

Barmaid Sandy Parnell first worked at Albion 18 years ago and hopes to stay on under the next owners.

She said: “Simon’s been a wonderful landlord who’s very much beloved by the regulars. We had quite a bash to say goodbye with all the regulars coming in. I love this pub, it needs to stay open.”

Mr Burrell is moving back to Bishopstoke and hopes to spend much of his retirement on his Velocette motorcycle. The ex-landlord spent 40 years in the print industry before taking over The Albion for a change in lifestyle.

Signs up on the entrance of the pub state that it will be “closed for the duration of August”.