Ed Sheeran’s bar and diner Bertie Blossoms falls victim to Britain’s pub crisis as its debt rises to nearly £1.3million after struggling during Covid
Ed Sheeran’s upscale venture Bertie Blossoms faces financial strain amid UK pub decline
Restaurant’s debt climbs to £1.3 million post-pandemic challenges
Ed Sheeran’s modern eatery on Portobello Road in West London has become another casualty of the ongoing pub crisis in Britain. Financial records from December indicate that the establishment, operated under the Dive Bar Portobello banner, carries a net current liability of nearly £1.3 million. This marks a significant drop of £763,000 since December 2021, according to filings with The Mirror.
The venue, which opened in September 2019, has yet to achieve profitability despite its initial promise. Staff numbers have dwindled to five, a stark contrast to the ten employees in 2020 and six the year prior. The reduction reflects the economic pressures faced during the pandemic, which forced temporary closures and disrupted operations.
Customer backlash highlights menu and quality concerns
Bertie Blossoms, named after Sheeran’s wife Cherry Seaborn, is known for its rotating menu featuring dishes like steak, pasta, and chocolate and prune brownies. However, recent reviews on TripAdvisor have criticized the offerings as lacking quality, with some patrons describing the food as resembling “second-rate microwave meals.”
“What a disappointment, the food options were limited. Which wouldn’t have been a problem if the quality wasn’t so poor,” one customer remarked. “You could see through to the kitchen. Which looked more like a roadside catering van. Food tasted similar. Everything was manufactured and if it couldn’t be deep fried it was over-boiled or fried. Looked like a good clean wouldn’t hurt either.”
During 2021, Sheeran attempted to attract diners by offering 50% off white wine, encouraging takeaway orders. Yet this effort did little to mitigate complaints about the £19 menu items, with critics noting the lack of culinary distinction.
Political responses to pub sector collapse
As the UK’s pubs continue to grapple with the aftermath of the pandemic, Reform UK has proposed a revival plan. The party aims to cut VAT in the hospitality sector to 10% if it secures the next election, funding this through reinstating the two-child benefit limit for all except working families.
Reform also pledges to abolish the employer national insurance increase for pubs and reduce beer duty by 10%. Additionally, it seeks to eliminate business rates for all pubs and implement regulatory changes to aid landlords. Reform MP Lee Anderson criticized the major political parties, asserting they have “facilitated” the closure of thousands of pubs over the past decade.
“The loss of one pub is not just the loss of livelihood for a landlord, or the loss of a local employment hub,” Anderson stated. “The loss of one pub is a loss to all of us as inheritors of a tradition dating back to Roman rule. Yet the Conservatives, and now Labour, have facilitated the closure of thousands of pubs over the last decade. Any contrition they show is false.”
Despite the Chancellor’s recent £100 million support package for landlords, including a 15% business rates cut for England, the measures have not yet halted the trend. Reform UK’s proposal to lift the pub ban on Labour MPs, which was initiated after Rachel Reeves ended pandemic-era subsidies, remains a key focus for the party.