Newquay’s Hotel Victoria and Berties Nightclub Abruptly Close

The Hotel Victoria, a long-standing establishment on Newquay’s East Street since 1899, and a nightclub in the Cornwall seaside town have ceased operations unexpectedly. A Newquay councillor has verified that employees face potential redundancy. Louis Gardner, a Cornwall Council member, informed the BBC that The Hotel Victoria closed its doors on Monday. While staff members have declined to provide comments and future intentions for the premises remain unconfirmed, the hotel is no longer listed on its booking website and is not accepting reservations. Concurrently, the cessation of operations at Berties nightclub and the proposed closure of the adjacent pub, Bertie O’Flannigan’s, have been characterized as a “massive shame” by residents of Newquay. Louis Gardner, who serves as councillor for Newquay Central, stated that employees had reached out to him to report their impending risk of redundancy. He commented, “It’s come as a shock to us all.” Gardner further noted, “We are going to see 60 job losses in the hotel itself and surrounding businesses.” He continued, “We hear that another large hotel group has bought it and we hope we will see some major investment back into it because it’s a major asset and well-loved.” He also remarked, “A number of staff have contacted me saying they now face redundancy and it’s a horrible time of the year in the run-up to Christmas.” Gardner expressed his hope that the affected workers would secure alternative employment within the town. He emphasized Newquay’s need for investment, citing the loss of several hotels, and acknowledged that the “shape of the tourism industry” had evolved, yet maintained that historic hotels retained their significance. Regarding the closure of Berties, he asserted that Newquay’s night-time economy possessed ongoing potential for growth. Separately, Tony Townsend, who previously served as marketing manager for Hotel Victoria, characterized the closure as “extremely sad.” He elaborated, “I think a lot of people have grown up with, certainly Berties, as part of their life and they maybe went along as a youngster, as a teenager.” Townsend further stated, “I think it has been a big part of people’s lives.” Mr. Townsend labeled the club an “absolute fixture,” particularly during summer holidays, noting its capacity for up to 2,000 people. He remarked, “We could have some of the biggest acts in the UK and some of the biggest DJs. Culturally, that was really important.” A message posted on Berties’ social media page stated: “Unfortunately this is the last week of Berties. “We will be closing our doors for good from Monday November 25. “Thank you to everyone for your continuous support over the years. We will miss each and every one of you!” Marina Dee, who has resided in Newquay since the age of nine, shared fond recollections of her teenage years spent clubbing at Berties. She commented, “It was just an amazing place to meet up, it’s just such a shame that it’s closing.” Dee added, “We’re losing so much of Newquay since I was growing up here.” Mandy Davies also expressed that the closure of Berties was a “shame.” She remarked, “You just always worry what it’s going to be next.” Davies further stated, “It needs more hotels here to stop people thinking you can only stay in houses… you just need someone to invest.” She concluded, “It needs to stay a hotel, there needs to be investment in the town.” Iskander Deniz, who operates a business in Newquay, noted that patrons from Berties frequently visited his establishment, indicating that the closure would also affect other local enterprises.