Landlord wants to stay after being served his notice

A PUB landlord in Henley says he will fight to stay on after being told to leave for failing to “perform”.

Matt Dockray, who runs the Little Angel in Remenham Lane, has been given six months’ notice by Brakspear.

He says he wants to see out the five-year tenancy he agreed when he took over the pub in 2022.

Mr Dockray blamed the cost of living for a slump in trade and said other pubs were also struggling.

He said: “People just cannot afford a main meal for £28, so we are trying to move with the times and redesign our menu.

“Like most places in Henley, trade has dropped off. We have been killed by the recent flooding as our foot traffic from walkers has decreased massively. We need more business.

“We do need to change a few things and we are putting on live music and changing our menu to more of a barbecue offering.

“People still want to come, sit and eat our food, but more as a special occasion. Everyone says the service is great and on Sundays we are always full — we had nearly 200 covers on Mothering Sunday — but customers cannot afford to come in the ways they did before.

“The market has dropped below previous years. Peak days are busy but most places are shut on Mondays and Tuesdays.

“We also make a lot more money in summer than we do in winter.”

Mr Dockray, who moved from Marlow to Henley with his daughter, Eleanor, to run the pub, pays Brakspear a turnover rent. He said: “If we make more money, they make more money; that’s how it works. However, what they do not see is the working costs or the upkeep. It is frustrating as we have staff who are worried about their jobs.

“Brakspear have requested new tenants and would like a higher rent. They served us notice at the end of last year and gave us a timescale of June.

“However, they have begun to realise that there is no one out there who can afford to rent a pub at a higher price.

“I have signed a five-year contract, so I am intending to stick to that. We will stay here until Brakspear find a better tenant. As far as they’re concerned, someone else should come in.

“If I was giving up, I would hand my notice in. I have seen people walk away from pubs when times get hard but I can’t — we moved to Henley for this pub. I want to keep this going as it is for my daughter’s future.

“Brakspear thinks our proposition is not performing to their expectations — and we would love more customers too — but if they have no one to take it over, we are happy to stay. We love the Henley community and the locals have been brilliant. I have had an amazing time.”

Mr Dockray has also had to give up the New Inn in Kidmore End, which he took over in August 2022.

The new tenants began there on March 25.

Mr Dockray said the transfer was “amenable”, adding: “We absolutely love the place but want to focus on the Little Angel.”

A Brakspear spokesman said: “We gave notice to Mr Dockray as the pub wasn’t performing.

“Despite having a five-year lease agreement, we can give notice for six months every six months.

“Their rent is an agreement based on a turnover scheme. We are in constant conversation but fundamentally it is their own business.

“We have had some interest from potential tenants, who have been looking around the space. However, if we do not gain new tenants by June we will be considering our options.

“We are excited to welcome new tenants at the New Inn and have already engaged in constructive meetings with them.”