Ed Sheeran's Notting Hill Bar Faces Financial Struggles Amid Widespread Pub Closures
Pop superstar Ed Sheeran has seemingly become the latest high-profile victim of Britain's deepening pub crisis. His bar and diner, Bertie Blossoms in Notting Hill, West London, has yet to turn a profit since its acquisition in 2019, struggling particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Financial Figures Reveal Significant Losses
Accounts filed in December reveal that That Dive Bar Portobello, the company through which Sheeran operates Bertie Blossoms, disclosed net current liabilities of £1.3 million as of December 2024. The balance sheet shows the firm's value has decreased by £763,000 since December 2021.
Staffing levels have also been reduced during this challenging period. Company records sent to Companies House show the business now employs just five staff members, down from six the previous year and a significant reduction from ten employees in 2020.
Broader Industry Crisis Continues
New figures published last month reveal the scale of the ongoing crisis affecting Britain's hospitality sector. During the final three months of 2025 alone, another 188 pubs were lost across the UK. The majority of these closures—123 establishments—were community pubs that still rely primarily on drinks sales to survive.
According to a report from NIQ and CGA intelligence, food-led pubs decreased by 56, along with nine high street sites. The NIQ data showed the total number of hospitality sites across the UK fell by 382 between September and December 2025, down to 98,914 establishments. This represents more than four net closures per day during that period, with over 240 restaurants of various types also closing.
Sheeran's Personal Investment and Challenges
Sheeran, reportedly worth £300 million, purchased Bertie Blossoms in 2019, naming the establishment in honour of his wife Cherry Seaborn and his manager Stuart Camp's partner Liberty Shaw. The singer took two months off from making music to personally oversee renovations at the two-storey building in Notting Hill.
The timing proved particularly challenging, as the venue had to temporarily close during pandemic lockdowns. During this difficult period, the bar attempted to attract takeaway orders by offering half-price white wine on delivery platform Deliveroo.
Sheeran closed the establishment again at the start of last year for a major refurbishment that included installing a new kitchen, before reopening in February 2025.
Industry Experts Call for Action
Experts warn that radical action is needed to stem the tide of closures that has seen more than 2,000 pubs lost since the beginning of 2020. The Mirror newspaper has been championing the industry's cause through its Your Pub Needs You campaign, calling for greater support for landlords and the communities they serve.
Sheeran previously revealed that Bertie Blossoms was originally intended to be a chicken shop takeaway before the concept changed. The Suffolk-based musician admitted the challenges of the hospitality industry, stating: "If you're looking to make a small fortune in the food industry you should start with a large fortune. It's one of these things where, unless you're Jamie Oliver or Gordon Ramsay and you have loads of restaurants, it's very difficult."
The ongoing struggles at Bertie Blossoms highlight the broader challenges facing Britain's pub industry, with community establishments particularly vulnerable despite efforts by high-profile owners like Sheeran to create successful venues.
