A message from the pub previously said it was ‘unviable to run safely for now’
The Knowle pub on Leighton Road, Knowle(Image: )
The Knowle, a popular South Bristol gastropub, has announced it will not be closing its doors as previously planned towards the end of this month. In a heartfelt message to its locals on Instagram on Sunday (January 11), the team said: “Following up on our previous statement, we’re delighted to share some great news – we will no longer be closing on 20th January.
“We’d like to sincerely apologise for the uncertainty over recent weeks during what has been a challenging time for The Knowle. We also want to thank both our loyal regulars and new faces for your continued support and patience throughout this period.
“While 2026 hasn’t started quite as we’d hoped, we’re excited about what’s ahead. Live sport, live music, and dining events are all in the works, with more details coming soon. Keep your eyes on our socials for updates – watch this space.”
It comes after it was originally announced that the pub would be facing its second temporary closure since the start of December. The Leighton Road pub’s Instagram post on Wednesday said that it would close its doors again on January 20.
The message referenced ‘an unresolved occupancy issue’ that ‘has unfortunately affected [their] staff team and made the pub unviable to run safely for now.’
A spokesperson for Star Pubs, the company that owns The Knowle but is not involved in its day-to-day operations, told Bristol Live at the time: “We anticipate the closure will be temporary while the current occupancy situation at The Knowle is resolved. We hope that this will happen swiftly.”
The pub management’s notice was the latest in a saga of temporary closures and reopenings announced by the pub in recent weeks. On December 4, The Knowle posted on Facebook: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, The Knowle will be temporarily closed. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.”
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But no more than a day later, on December 5, the same account posted the following jubilant update: “We’re excited to announce that The Knowle Pub will be reopening this Wednesday, the 10th, under new management! We’ve been working hard behind the scenes and can’t wait to welcome everyone back.”
The comment section was flooded with messages of both support and speculation, with many customers wondering if they would lose their Christmas bookings.
The pre-Christmas reopening announcement came with promises of a new energy at the pub. “Expect a brand-new menu, a warm atmosphere, and lots of exciting events coming your way soon!” said the Knowle Pub Team in their post.
However, on Wednesday last week, just over a month on from The Knowle’s first closure announcement, the following update appeared on the pub’s Instagram page: ‘It is with a heavy heart we must announce a temporary closure of the pub once again.’
Beyond adding that the situation is ‘out of [their] immediate control’ and ‘has unfortunately affected [their] staff team,’
The post informed customers that The Knowle’s doors would close on January 20 “due to an unresolved occupancy issue within the building that is outside of [their] immediate control.” Beyond adding that “the situation has unfortunately affected our staff team and made the pub unviable to run safely,” no further details were shared about the situation.