The Chipping Barnet MP had backed a local residents’ campaign to save the Prince of Wales on Church Hill Road

Protesters outside the Prince of Wales pub in East Barnet in January 2024 — The January protest in support of the Prince of Wales (Credit – Office of Theresa Villiers MP)

Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers has welcomed the news that the Prince of Wales pub in East Barnet has been bought by a new owner and will reopen.

Villiers had backed a campaign by local residents to save the pub, which was closed by previous owners Stonegate on February 14th.

News broke last month that the pub had been sold to hospitality group Heartwood Collection, which has said it will be: “undertaking a multi-million pound refurbishment to ensure it remains at the heart of the local community for many years to come.”

Responding to the news, the MP said: “It is great that the resident-led campaign to save the Prince of Wales pub has succeeded. There has been a pub on this site since 1876 and losing it would have been a real blow to East Barnet. It is a relief that a new owner has stepped in and wants to renovate and re-open the Prince of Wales.”

“I pay tribute to the work done by the East Barnet Residents Association to make the case for keeping the Prince of Wales as an integral part of the town centre in East Barnet. I enthusiastically backed their campaign.”

“Now it will be important for the new owners Heartwood to engage with residents to ensure that their plans for the pub are in tune with what local residents want.”

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else. £84 annual supporters get a print copy by post and a digital copy of each month's before anyone else.