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A UK pub that dates back 800 years has closed its doors. Gatwick Manor, in Lowfield Heath near Crawley, shut for good on May 16.

The pub is "practically next door" to Gatwick Airport, according to its website, and is well known for its expansive beer garden. Part of the pub dates back to the 1200s, though few of the original buildings remain. Gatwick Manor is part of the Chef and Brewer line, operated by Greene King.

Greene King, which has around 2,500 pubs, restaurants and hotels across England, Wales and Scotland, recently revealed plans to put around 150 of its pubs up for sale as part of a major shake-up of its estate.

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The brewery giant, which also brews Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen and Belhaven beers, has identified around "300 managed sites that would be better served under different models".

The firm expects roughly half of these - about 150 pubs - to be converted into leased, tenanted or franchise venues within its Pub Partners estate, with the remaining 150 sites to be evaluated for a potential sale.

Greene King also identified a small number of sites for closure, representing fewer than 2% of the managed estate, in line with the group's typical annual activity.

Announcing the brewery's annual results, Green King chief executive Nick Mackenzie said: "Long-term permanent reform from government is essential to ensure that unprecedented costs do not hold back the enormous potential of the sector."

About two pubs close every day. Industry figures from the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) reveal that 161 venues shut across England, Scotland, and Wales in the first quarter of 2026, marking a significant acceleration in closures as the sector battles unsustainable costs.

Owners have blamed disproportionate tax burdens (including high excise duty, VAT, and business rates), soaring operational costs (including energy prices, National Insurance hikes, and increased employment costs), and changing consumer habits (through the cost-of-living crisis).

Greater London has lost roughly a fifth of its pubs over the last two decades, with South West London seeing the sharpest regional decline.

The BBPA and UK Spirits Alliance continue to lobby the Government for permanent, long-term tax overhaul and relief rather than short-term fixes.