Polka Hop Wakefield: Emotional farewell as beloved pub announces closure amid soaring energy costs

The Polka Hop, on George Street, is known as a cherished space for real ale lovers and local musicians - but closed its doors earlier this week, leaving regulars heartbroken.

Breaking the news to drinkers on Facebook, owners Fiona and Daz said: “There’s no easy way to say this, so we’ll just say it. We’ve taken the very hard decision to shut the pub with immediate effect.

“The pub trade is never easy and as much as we’ve tried, we simply can’t continue with The Polka Hop due to high energy bills, PRS/PPL and other issues.”

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It comes as energy prices are set to fall for 21,000,000 households across the country from today (July 1), under Ofgem’s latest price cap - although uncertainty remains over the months ahead.

While the average household will see a drop of around £11 a month on gas and electricity bills, experts have warned that costs are still significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels.

And with colder, darker months ahead, there’s growing concern that winter bills could hit hard once again.

Analysts have predicted a further small decrease in October, but there is “significant uncertainty” over future pricing - with global instability and wholesale energy markets likely to play a key role.

The team at The Polka Hop promised to work closely with performers and events already booked to help them find new venues, adding they would “continue to do everything we can to support the local arts and pub community”.

In the tribute, they gave “ultimate thanks” to their team, adding: “We don’t know what the next steps are just yet, but we’ll keep the Facebook page alive so we can keep you informed.”