A BASINGSTOKE bar which closed permanently after serving the town for 25 years has now been put up for sale.

The Rhu Bar, in London Street, shut its doors for the last time in May, as the owners decided to take early retirement due to a lack of footfall and trade.

Alison Bates and her husband Robert opened the popular Top of Town establishment in 1999 after Alison moved to the area from London. 

READ MORE: Popular Basingstoke pub up for sale after being empty for nine months

The bar officially closed on Saturday, May 25, with the announcement made after the date as the pair wanted to 'go quietly'.

Now, three months later, the establishment has been put up for sale on real estate website, Zoopla, by commercial property agents Curchod and Co.

The listing is advertised as a 'freehold' to be used 'as a bar', it reads: "The subject property is being used as a bar across the ground floor and first-floor level."

The building features a cellar, seating area and bar, 'an area for further seating' on the first floor and a kitchenette

Outside, there is a seating area with access to a kitchen, shower, and two floors.

The price for the property is listed at £375,000, or £8,108.75 per year to lease the building.

Alison previously told the Gazette that no one had shown any interest in taking over the venue, adding: “It’s sad, but it’s the lifestyle now. Robert is there packing everything away and it’s quite emotional but also a bit of a relief because it was getting so hard.

"We were open six days a week in the beginning doing breakfasts and lunches, it was full on 25 years ago but times are hard now and people – whether because of Covid or something else – people aren’t going out like they used to.”