Cellar House pub has closed: Photo David Bale

Cellar House pub in Eaton closed until further notice

David Bale Tuesday, February 14, 2012
12:53 PM

People in Eaton are lamenting the unexpected loss of a popular pub that has suddenly closed.

A sign appeared outside the Cellar House pub in Eaton Street yesterday stating that it was closed until further notice.

Paul Malynn has been the leaseholder at the pub for about four years and was still at the pub today, although he did not wish to comment.

The news has come as a blow to many people in Eaton including ward city councillor Caroline Ackroyd.

She said: “I’m amazed and shocked that it has closed. We probably eat in there once a fortnight. We were there last Thursday and it was full.

“The food is good, there’s a good atmosphere, and it’s a good resource for the community.

“They have done a lot recently to get people in to the pub. When Norwich City play away they always show the matches at the pub. It’s a very well thought of pub and I hope that it will reopen.”

Another Eaton resident, who did not wish to give his name, was equally disappointed at the news.

He said: “We are all very upset about it. I cannot remember it ever being closed before. It’s the end of an era really.

“The landlord spent a lot of money there. It was particularly popular with more elderly people. We will have nowhere to watch the Norwich City matches now.

“It’s another watering hole that has gone. But it’s too good a business not to reopen.”

The news was particularly devastating to Simon Devlin who booked a Valentine’s meal at the pub for tonight.

He said last night: “They have just called to say that they will not be open as the pub is shutting down until further notice and gave no other reason why. Bet I’m not the only one now desperate to rebook.”

The Evening News has been urging people to return to pubs in our Love your Local campaign.

To see more stories from the campaign visit www.eveningnews24.co.uk/loveyourlocal.

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32 comments

@KJM i appolize for no one contacting you it was my understanding that we tried to contact as many as poss maybe recorded messages work both ways !! as for trying to contact for days did you mean prior to the closing ?? Thank you to those that have shown sympathy to the situation @blister no its not the smoking ban that argument is long gone !!

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antonia64

Thursday, February 16, 2012
Blister it sounds like you are living in the past! Maybe its time that you stopped being so self-opinionated and learn to listen to other people's points of view? I know plenty of hard workinh NON smoking bar staff, so using your argument, then the smoking ban must be right!

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IT Man

Thursday, February 16, 2012
Spare a thought for the suppliers. Firt 103 asnd then this. These guys must have known what was coming yet still ordered gear knowing they cant pay for it. Fishmonger, cheeseman, fruit & veg, all Norwich independents, out of pocket again.

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bourdainman

Wednesday, February 15, 2012
I did wonder if something bad was about to happen after poping in for a pint on sunday to find there was no beer. This is my local and its always seems busy so i'm confused as to why it's closed. Hope they find a working solution soon

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Che

Wednesday, February 15, 2012
if bar staff don't like smoke then they should have got another job, you must have been a pretty poor barperson if you put the comfort of your self before the people you are meant to be serving, besides nobody would force a pub to allow smoking, if a publican wants to have a smoking pub and he employs staff who don't mind smoking then everything should be ok I know plenty of hardworking bar staff who are also smokers, the city centre pubs have become sterile bars where people go to pose before going on to a club, bring back the 'Jolly Butchers and Anna

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blister

Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Terrible news about the closure, lets hope it is only a temporary situation.

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Vaughan Elias

Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Terrible news about the closure, lets hope it is only a temporary situation.

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Vaughan Elias

Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Blister - so barmaids like myself have to go home every night smelling of smoke? The smoking ban has nothing to do with The Cellar House shutting down, sadly people these days would rather sit in a Wetherspoons or somewhere similar for cheaper drinks (although I can't blame them). Fingers crossed and we'll have the pub up and running again in the foreseeable future!!

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ke1992

Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Blister - so barmaids like myself have to go home every night smelling of smoke? The smoking ban has nothing to do with The Cellar House shutting down, sadly people these days would rather sit in a Wetherspoons or somewhere similar for cheaper drinks (although I can't blame them). Fingers crossed and we'll have the pub up and running again in the foreseeable future!!

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ke1992

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
This sounds like a typical case of an Enterprise Inns pub being bled dry by the pub company - charging their tenants far too much rent and twice the price for beer than they would pay if they were at a 'free house'. Readers cannot have missed the fact that thousands of pubs have closed in Britain already - there are thousands more going to go to the wall in the next couple of years. The pub industry is in crisis which is largely the result of pub companies like this asset stripping the nation's heritage, posting £hundreds of profit each year as their pubs go down the Swanee, dilapidated and broken following lessee after lessee having being made bankrupt by the beer tie. FACT: #thebeertiekillspubs

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J Mark Dodds

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
ITMAN@ let the landlordlady decide and not the government,maybe the somking ban isnt the fault for pub closures,but this ban has certainly not helped

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Albert Cooper

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
While I have complete sympathy for pubs at the minute - I particularly am not happy tonight as I booked up for a valentines dinner at the Cellar House - and they didn't even contact me to say it was closed! I had been trying for days to call this place - have then not heard of recorded messages - well if you do open again I hope you are more professional with your customers!!!!!!

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KJM

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
@antonia64, it is always sad to see job losses and I hope that the situation resolves quickly. @blister - what evidence have you to suggest that the smoking ban has anything to do with pub closures, especially this one, which was usually very busy. In 2009, only 21% of the UK adult population were smokers, this means that there are over three times as many non smokers, therefore the smoking ban argument is no longer a viable reason - most pubs that are closing down are doing so simply because they are being badly managed and are not offering the customers what they want.

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IT Man

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
the whole passive smoking thing has been heavily overplayed by the health fanatics, would rather spend an evening in a smoky pub have usually found smokers to be much more interesting people anyway

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blister

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Socialist Ideals..we know what is best for you.It should be up to the Landlord for what decision to make about smoking or no smoking on his premises [or hers] it should,nt be the government to decide.I am a non smoker and it would be my decision to frequent a pub allowing smoking.however as said there could be a "Smoking Room" in a pub,though come to think of it .........

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Albert Cooper

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
smoking could still be carried out in a seperate room so bar staff need'nt be effected, and after all nobody forces anyone to be a bar person, I have never smoked but still think people have as much right to smoke as a car owner has a right to pour out poisonous fumes from the back of his or her car, sadly pedestrians don't get a choice of wether to breath in the fumes

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blister

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
atsthepost... Thank you for ur lovely comments much appreciated ; ) we dont honestly know whats happening at present but we are trying to stay positive

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antonia64

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
sad that this pub has closed guess the smoking ban has struck again , closures speeded up when the ban was brought in and while almost every other pastime etc is catered for smoking is not, can't even open a private club where smoking can be carried out in seperate room with good ventilation, sign of the times, at the time of the ban all those do gooders said the ban would make pubs better and more busy, shame they were wrong

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blister

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
atsthepost... Thank you for ur lovely comments much appreciated ; ) we dont honestly know whats happening at present but we are trying to stay positive

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antonia64

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
I used this boozer a few times last summer. It's a really nice place, lovely staff good atmosphere good food always seemed busy. Fingers are crossed . Too good to lose

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atsthepost

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
how many pubs on Ber Street that have closed did you count? Can you name them?

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robbie28

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Lets hope the Cellar House is back and up and running again soon, a great venue and always popular. Much better that pubs are now tobacco smoke free.

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robbie28

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Blister - so barmaids like myself have to go home every night smelling of smoke? The smoking ban has nothing to do with The Cellar House shutting down, sadly people these days would rather sit in a Wetherspoons or somewhere similar for cheaper drinks (although I can't blame them). Fingers crossed and we'll have the pub up and running again in the foreseeable future!!

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ke1992

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Blister - so barmaids like myself have to go home every night smelling of smoke? The smoking ban has nothing to do with The Cellar House shutting down, sadly people these days would rather sit in a Wetherspoons or somewhere similar for cheaper drinks (although I can't blame them). Fingers crossed and we'll have the pub up and running again in the foreseeable future!!

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ke1992

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
this is not down to the smoking ban blister.Passive smoke kills workers in their workplace which includes all the people who work in pubs.many people remark also how much more pleasant it is these days in pubs -the shame is people are just not spending enough and its not just pubs who are suffering.

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Peter Watson

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Or Blister it could be down to the huge economic downturn that has seen more people buying booze from the supermarket and staying in as its cheaper than the pub. All of this is academic anyway as the Cellar House was always packed full of people.

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Lucy Christie

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Living near a good pub can increase the value of your home!! ihttp:www.edp24.co.ukwhat-s-onfood_and_drink_2_5148norfolk-food-featuresliving_near_a_good_local_pub_in_norwich_can_increase_the_value_of_your_house_1_1207490

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robbie28

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Sorry to hear this news for Paul and all the staff. I am convinced that smoking ban is not the reason for pubs closing, more like the recession and the availability of our pubs core product in supermarkets. The call is use it or lose it in resect of your local pub , well if the popular and busy Cellar House closes on the grounds of customers not turningup (not saying that is the reason by the way) then heaven help other pubs! I hope many readers wish Paul and his business well and that its back and on its feet and re-opens soon. I am sure we will all drink to that!

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robbie28

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Blass me bor! I had my first pint in there in 1972! What a great shame. The Red Lion is too posh for me!

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Leafy suburb

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
We used to come here every so often , from out in the sticks, for family lunches. Shame, it was a good solid pub. Come on Animal, Kiwi or Sarah take it over,make it a success!

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augustuspablo

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
had a walk along Ber Street recently and shocked at number of pub closures, a major factor must be the ban on smoking in pubs, although not a smoker I think it is ridiculous that there can't be a seperate well ventilated room available for hard working people who simply want to relax with a pint and a fag, the last labour gov were stupid to intoduce the ban and the coalition are equally to blame for not overturning theban , at the time all the pious non smokers said it would improve trade in pubs , well it failed

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blister

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
You failed to mention the amount of job losses approx 11 in total full and part time or is it that we just dont matter !!

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antonia64

Tuesday, February 14, 2012