Wetherspoon's Nightjar announces it will close next month

The Nightjar, in Victoria Road, Ferndown, will pull its last pint on Sunday leaving regulars asking the question: “where will we go now?” 

The national pub chain has said it will no longer be renewing its lease for the building, believed to be because of a £25,000 annual increase. 

Linda Polley, a regular at the pub, set up a petition to ask Wetherspoon to rethink closing the waterhole and gained more than 1,400 signatures. 

Residents outside Nightjar (Image: Daily Echo)

She said: "Everybody is devastated, heartbroken. The staff we have spoken to have been in tears and they don’t know where their job transfer is. 

“We’ve just lost Wilkinson’s next door and it feels like Ferndown is falling apart at the moment, people are worried it will turn into a ghost town. 

“People feel lost, they don’t know where to go. I look at some of the old people who come in and they will have nowhere else to go. 

“We still haven’t been told why Wetherspoon decided it is closing. It has been absolutely heaving in here over the past few months – why is it shutting?” 

Wilko next door

She added: “We’d also like to offer a big thank you to the staff who work there – they have all been excellent.” 

Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “We can confirm that the final day of trading is Sunday 24 September. 

“The company has decided it has served its break option on The Nightjar. 

“This is a commercial decision by Wetherspoon. 

“All staff have been offered jobs at Wetherspoon pubs in the region. 

“We appreciate that customers will be disappointed with the decision and are fully aware of the petition to save the pub.” 

In July, hundreds gathered at the pub on a summer’s evening to collectively tell the chain they didn’t want their pub to close. 

Many spoke of the Nightjar being more than just a place to drink, but rather a place for social gathering, making friends and good times. 

Linda added: “The whole of Ferndown is very sad to see it go.”