'The industry can’t weather more costs’ – A Hoppy Place in Windsor to close

The co-owner of A Hoppy Place in Windsor has said small businesses are facing 'pressure after pressure' following a decision to close the micropub and craft beer shop next month.

The business, in St Leonards Road, was founded by husband-and-wife duo Dave and Naomi Hayward, and Jason Whitehead. 

A Hoppy Place opened its first location in Windsor in August 2019, before expanding into Maidenhead and opening a new venue at the Watermark development in June 2022.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Mr Hayward said the award-winning Windsor site will close in March as it is ‘already running at a loss’ and increasing costs were the ‘final straw’.  

The Maidenhead branch will remain open.

Mr Hayward said weekly revenue in Windsor ‘is some 20 per cent down on what it was in 2019’. 

Speaking to the Express, he said: “There’s been pressure after pressure on small independent businesses over the last two to three years.  

“At no point have we had an opportunity to recover since COVID-19.  

“There’s been something else year after year. 

“It was the cost of energy in the first instance, and then repeat rises to the cost of doing business. 

“In the supply chain, beer duty had gone up dramatically.” 

Mr Hayward said other factors include increases to employer National Insurance contributions and minimum wage, ‘not being able to offer zero-hours anymore’, and increasing business rates.

The Facebook post added: “Maidenhead has supported Windsor for a time – but cannot continue to do so. 

“We’re losing money today, and this is all of course, before the increase to our business rates from April.  

“The site goes from previously being ineligible due to small business rates relief, to what will now be an over £500 bill per month – with compound raises as transitional relief goes away.” 

“We’ve told anyone who will listen that the industry can’t weather more costs’.  

Mr Hayward also touched upon the low footfall on St Leonards Road, sayingthe street is ‘the quietest it’s ever been’, with not just A Hoppy Place ‘struggling’.  

“There are half a dozen empty units down the road now," he said.

“It’s clear – there just aren’t enough locals visiting and spending in this part of Windsor."

The team considered closing the Windsor venue at this time last year, but ‘chose to keep pushing on with it’, Mr Hayward said.  

However, after more than six years of ‘fantastic events’ and memories, the Windsor venue will host a ‘big party’ on its last day of trading on Saturday, March 21.  

“Without Windsor we wouldn’t have anything that’s followed,” Mr Haywood told the Express.  

“We have our Maidenhead bar; we have the Indie Rabble [Brewing Company] as well.  

“Both of those venues are doing ok right now, but none of them would have existed without Windsor. 

“Windsor was our first step into hospitality, into this career and industry. 

“So obviously it means a lot to us on an emotional level. 

“We’ve had hundreds of events. It’s hard to pick just one, but we’re really proud of the community that we’ve generated.” 

Mr Hayward said the Maidenhead bar is ‘profitable’ and he is not concerned ‘at the moment’ about its future. 

But he said if there are any more changes announced for the sector in November’s Budget, he cannot promise ‘it’s not going to be a different answer’.