A landmark York pub is to stay shut after its owner withdrew plans to open it under a new name.
Gibsons, next to Micklegate Bar, closed in 2019. Owner Star Pubs and Bars – the leased pub business of Heineken UK – won planning permission to refurbish it inside and out in September 2023.
Since then, it has brought forward two changes of plan. Last February, the pub group said it was set to invest £280K in the venue, including adding a private dining room and upstairs kitchen.
Under those plans, it would have retained the name Gibsons. However, last month it submitted revised plans to give it a new name – Three’s A Crowd.
But at the start of this month, Star Pubs and Bars withdrew their application.
No refurbishment work has been carried out on Gibsons to date.
A spokesperson for Star Pubs said: “We are still keen to undertake a major refurbishment of Gibsons on Micklegate subject to recruiting a new operator.
“The proposed works will transform the pub into a top quality local serving good food that will appeal to residents, students and visitors to York alike.
“The pub is in a fantastic location on Micklegate, right next to the city walls.
“We are making the pub available on our managed operator agreement. This comes with lots of support. With an ingoing cost to the operator of £4,000 – of which £3,000 is a refundable deposit – our managed operator agreement is ideal for newcomers to the industry as well as experienced hospitality staff looking to progress their careers and run a pub on a low-risk, low-cost agreement.”
Anyone interested in running the pub can find out more here.
Built in 1861 as a town house, the three-storey building was converted into a licensed premises four years later.
Previous owners Jon Bon Gibson and Lee Wilkinson revealed it was going to close in December 2019, saying they were ready to move on, after enjoying “amazing times” at the pub.