The Salutation pub in Keyworth has announced a temporary closure after its operators said the demands of running the venue had taken a toll on their health and personal lives.
Fearghal and Ryan, who have been at the pub for the past seven-and-a-half months, thanked customers for their support and said they remained optimistic about its longer-term future under new stewardship.
The pair took over The Salutation in December and said they had worked through a series of early challenges, including problems with the ale taps and operating a pub designed to serve food without having a working kitchen.
During their time at the venue, they introduced weekly quizzes, live music and curry nights, while Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve were described as particularly memorable occasions.
Fearghal said running The Salutation had given him an opportunity to put his own mark on a pub after many years of working for others in the hospitality industry.
He said his decision to step away had been “purely a career decision” and was not a reflection on the pub or the Keyworth community.
Fearghal added: “I am immensely proud of some of the things we managed to achieve in our short time in Keyworth, and I am extremely optimistic for the future of the pub. It is just a shame that, in the short term, this decision has had to be made.”
Ryan subsequently took responsibility for managing the pub despite having first worked behind a bar only around six months earlier.
Fearghal praised the way Ryan had approached the role but said the demands of working continuously without a break could affect a person’s health and relationships.
Ryan said managing a venue of The Salutation’s size with limited experience had proved more demanding than anticipated.
He said: “While I enjoyed massively building day by day to try and get the pub to a place that I could be happy with, the job has proven to be slightly above my current capability.
“I’d have loved to keep it going until a more permanent landlord could have taken the reins, but at this point I’ve had to make the decision to prioritise my own health and relationships with friends and family, most of whom I’ve not seen since April.”
Ryan thanked customers for the help and encouragement they had given him and acknowledged the special place the pub holds within the Keyworth community.
He said he hoped to see The Salutation return to its best under more permanent management in the near future.
In a joint message, Fearghal and Ryan thanked everyone who had visited the pub during their time there and said they were looking forward to seeing how the venue developed over the coming years.
