Farnham and Bordon MP Greg Stafford has warned that more pubs and restaurants could go out of business without urgent government action, following the closure of The Wheatsheaf.

Mr Stafford, who has campaigned to protect local pubs, says excessive red tape and high government taxes are putting the hospitality industry under severe pressure.

The Wheatsheaf announced it would be closing its premises on West Street, Farnham, after an investor pulled out.

Mr Stafford said: “The closure of The Wheatsheaf is a real loss for Farnham. The reality under this government is stark: 80 percent of pubs are no longer profitable, and one in four face closure — figures shared by the British Institute of Innkeeping at my hospitality roundtable earlier this year.

“The Chancellor has failed to understand that these were never just abstract statistics. Pubs like The Wheatsheaf are now closing as a direct result. This is neither an accident nor a coincidence.

“I know how much effort the staff put into keeping it going, and I’m devastated to see them become victims of the anti-pub economic climate we now face.

“It’s vital we all do what we can to support our local pubs and restaurants, so they can hold on until this government finally confronts the damage it’s doing.”

The Wheatsheaf shut its doors less than a year after an ambitious relaunch that aimed to enhance Farnham’s dining scene.

James Bicknell, who took over the pub and restaurant last October, said financial setbacks and a lack of support forced the closure.

“For the first year we were running at a loss because we were trying to change the style of it around, so we knew we weren’t going to make much money. But our investor changed his tune and decided to pull out,” he said.