Last Call — American Bars’ Historic Pub Obituary File visits England for a moment

The website gives no indication as to when the 17th century pub is likely to reopen, if ever. In Britain these days, the crush of taxes, rules, regulation, and other government burdens is causing dozens of pubs to close down each month. Landlords are apt to change out the bar for apartments for more profit with far less regulation. 

A message that has been left on the award-winning pub's answering machine for callers says that "due to a gas line problem within the building, we are unable to open the premises until further notice”. A gas line problem? Such things are fixed fast…unless there is an intent not to fix them at all. This appears to be the case. 

Here in America, where everything over 25 years old (including people) get bulldozed over for a new parking lot, the very concept of a bar that is almost twice as old as our nation is amazing. That is comes to an end at all, as old and treasured as it is, amounts to being criminal. 

Over its 400-year history, Grace Neill's has been visited by both royalty and literary giants, as well as slaking the thirsts of generations of locals.

Russian Czar Peter the Great was a visitor while on his way to Warrenpoint to study boatbuilding.

Poet John Keats and novelist Daniel Defoe, who wrote Robinson Crusoe, also dropped in during visits to Ireland.

Tourist information centres in Bangor and Newtownards were unaware of the closure of the historic tourist magnet.

The closure also came as a surprise to neighboring business owners and local councillors.

According to one businesswoman - who did not want to be named - the popular hostelry had been open on Wednesday, closing suddenly yesterday afternoon.

UUP councillor Mark Brooks, who also runs the Bow Bells restaurant in the seaside town, told the Belfast Telegraph: "Grace Neill's is a vital part of the town's tourism offer, as well as having been a fixture of the town's commercial and social life for over 400 years.

"I have been assured that Grace Neill's will be reopening next week. We shall see. 

However, efforts to contact the Donaghadee-based owners of Grace Neill's last night for further information about the reasons for the shock closure - and to find out when the historic pub could be expected to reopen - proved unsuccessful.

The Donaghadee pub now known as Grace Neill's opened in 1611 as The King's Arms - a name it carried for more than 300 years.

Grace Neill herself was a noted resident of the seaside town - and by family tradition she was given the King's Arms as a wedding present from her father, retaining it until her death in 1918 at the age of 98.

The pub was then renamed in her honor and has carried her name ever since.

Renowned for the quality of its cuisine, Grace Neill's featured in the Michelin Eating Out In Pubs guide 2010.

Unlike America, American Bars figures they will not tear down a 400 year old tavern to pave a parking lot and install a new McDonalds. But they could convert it to one…Hmmm…