Jobs lost as Mitchell's of Lancaster goes into administration

Fourteen head office jobs have been lost as pub firm Mitchell's of Lancaster has gone into administration. The company's pubs have been put up for sale.

Declining interest in pub visits coupled with increasing business rates and minimum wage have been blamed for the company's closure.

Mitchell's of Lancaster is a family firm with Lancashire roots dating back to 1871. It owned and operated Fibbers, The Duke of Rothesay, The Old Hall, The Tithe Barn, The Water Witch, The William Mitchell, The Bobbin, The Station Hotel, restaurant and bar 1725, and The Royal Hotel.

Together, the venues employ 120 people. They will continue to trade while a buyer is sought.

The York Brewery and its six pubs, which the company purchased in December 2008 but ran separately, are also affected.

Steven Muncaster and Sarah Bell from Duff & Phelps have been appointed joint administrators of Mitchell’s of Lancaster (Brewers) Limited and York Brewery Co Limited.

Steven Muncaster, managing director of Duff & Phelps Manchester, said: “The UK pub sector has suffered sustained adversity over the last decade, with the latest ONS statistics showing that nearly a quarter of pubs have closed since 2008, with the majority of these closures being small pubs. “This troubled landscape, coupled with rising business rates, increased minimum wage, and the continued uncertainty surrounding Brexit, has created difficult conditions for pubs across the UK. As such, the owners were left with no alternative but to put the company into administration."