Fears for the future of Tulse Hill’s Queen of the South pub eased after the Mirror newspaper reported that landlord Clement Ogbonnaya’s bid to buy the freehold of the community-based venue had been accepted.
Clement had launched a campaign to save the Queen after the giant Young’s pub company bought its freehold without his knowledge and gave him a short deadline to buy it from them.
According to the Mirror, Young’s told it: “We are pleased to confirm that we have accepted Clement Ogbonnaya’s offer to buy the freehold of the Queen of the South pub in Tulse Hill.
“We recognise the significance of the pub as an important part of the local community and have had constructive conversations with Clement to find a solution that will enable it to continue operating under the current management. It was never our intention to close the pub.
“At Young’s, ensuring pubs remain vibrant parts of their local communities is an important part of our ethos.
“Following our acquisition of City Pub Group in 2024, it was always our intention that this pub remain independent to best serve its community, and we are glad to have moved closer to securing a solution that will allow it to do so.”
The historic pub had been closed for some time before Clement, successful proprietor of the Prince of Peckham pub since 2017, revived it in 2023.
