Tap shuts off as bar closes up for good

COUNCIL bosses in Rochdale say they offered support to a popular brew bar and restaurant which announced its shock closure this week.

And they say they hope the venue can be resurrected by a new business.

It comes as former punters at The Medicine Tap say they’ve been left gutted after it announced it had closed its doors for good.

The coffee house, cafe, and pub, which was situated in the Grade-ii listed former Post Office on the Esplanade, opened in 2018 after a painstaking £300,000 refurbishment.

However, they announced on Sunday they would not be reopening following a New Year break. Work on a £16m refurb has been ongoing at the Grade I listed town hall which faces the building since 2021. The bar said the work and associated closures had killed passing trade and left the area ‘deserted.’

Coupled with post-pandemic customer habit changes, that had ‘inevitably’ led to ‘financial deficit’ they said. In a statement, they said: “The impact of the Town Hall Square redevelopment work, closure of the Esplanade and the Town Hall Car Park has taken its toll.

“There has been a distinct lack of footfall to the area around us and the square has become deserted with no passing custom. Along with other local establishments, we have seen our trade dwindle significantly inevitably leading to financial deficit.

“Add the POST-COVID changes in ‘going out’ habits and we’ve had a huge struggle on our hands! We desperately wanted to ‘hang on’ until the re-opening of The Town Hall but that has proved an unrealistic dream for us. Our staff and customers have always been our priority and therefore it would be unfair to continue.

“We stand by our business model... a smart, quirky, immaculate venue, beautifully restored with a nod to its great heritage. An incredible offering of high-quality, locally sourced food and fabulous drinks. Throw in the mix, the best chefs in the borough and committed staff and we were a place of magic!”

“We truly gave it our absolute best. In a different timeline who knows what greatness & longevity we could have achieved!” they added.

“We certainly won’t look back with grief or regret. Instead, we step away with immense pride and wonder at what we created and the incredible reputation we built over the past 6 years! We dared to dream and we took the chance! We love Rochdale and it has been a privilege to open the big black doors of the old Post Office building to you every day.”

The news of its closure was greeted with dismay by many readers. Ali Lageard said: “What a shame, it was a great pub.” Shaun Portlock said: “That’s a shame, it was beautiful.”

Kevan Shand said on our My Rochdale Facebook page: “That’s a real shame it was packed at Christmas time. One as to ask did we need all the work round the town hall loosing loads of parking. So who’s going to stand about now looking at miles of patio flags, It’s a waste of money.”

John Butterworth said: “Don’t forget the works pushed the Flying Horse to the brink. There is nowhere around Riverside to put destinations like this.”

Rochdale Council has now spoken out about the closure. They said businesses affected by the town hall redevelopment, including the Medicine Tap were offered compensation, and that the revamped town square would ultimately be of long-term benefit to local businesses.

They said business closures, particularly in the hospitality sector were ultimately the result of a number of factors, evidenced by the number that had already been seen across Greater Manchester in the first few weeks of the new year.

Mark Robinson, the council’s director of economy and place aid: “We’re really sorry to hear about the closure of the Medicine Tap “The council has supported businesses in this area throughout the work on Town Hall Square, and this has included compensation for those, such as the Medicine Tap, which were directly impacted by it.

“Unfortunately, additional factors, including the cost of living crisis and the lasting impact of Covid, have affected businesses up and down the country, and those in the hospitality sector have borne the brunt of these changes.

“In the future, we expect businesses across the town centre to benefit from the reopening of Rochdale Town Hall, which is now just a few short months away.

“It will bring additional footfall into this area, alongside the events which we will be bringing to Town Hall Square, including the Feel Good Festival and the Rochdale Borough Festival of Ideas.”

Mr Robinson added the council hoped a new tenant for the building could be found soon.

“We would be keen to work with the building owners to attract a complementary new use for this space and hope to see it occupied again soon” he said.