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Closure of the Florence Arms

The sad news of the much loved Southsea pub The Florence Arms closing went around yesterday which will no doubt sadden many regulars and locals alike. No real details yet on what the future holds but we have our fingers crossed this will be a short closure and bump in the road of the long history of this local gem rather than something permanent. If you have any info please comment and share.

(Photo by Austin McLean)


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  1. Charlie

    29 May

    My gran used to live opposite in one of the red brick Malvern Road houses, that pub is part of our family history. Real shame.

  2. Greg

    29 May

    we deeply regret having to close the FLO market forces and some bad buisness advice have forced us into an untennable position. hopefully all the regulars and the occasional visitors to the FLO will have a decent community pub again soon

    Greg & Jane

  3. Patrick

    29 May

    A real loss, I remember some great nights in the Flo (and can’t remember some even better ones!), will be sorely missed…

  4. James

    30 May

    I am absolutely gutted, this was an awesome pub. The rum cast cider was the best. Good luck for the future!

  5. floregular

    30 May

    It is puzzling that the only pub left in the area has failed, but maybe the smelly loos, poor service and awful worn out furniture stopped people returning.

  6. neilandroid

    30 May

    i’m gutted the flo has closed, it was an integral part of the local community.
    but, (reaching out for a silver-lining), at least it means i won’t have to share my local with an ignoramus like @floregular

  7. floregular

    30 May

    Sometimes the truth is not welcome it seems.

  8. neilandroid

    30 May

    @floregular see, what you’ve done there is make the classic web 2.0 mistake of confusing opinion with fact; or indeed, anything that could be construed apposite or even interesting.

  9. floregular

    30 May

    Have you looked at the on-line reviews of the pub?
    (I rest my case)

  10. neilandroid

    30 May

    no, i haven’t read the online reviews. i was capable of forming my own opinion, by actually going there.
    you don’t have a case. what you have, at best, is a tatty schoolboy’s satchel, tied together with a bit of old rope.

  11. garspaceman

    30 May

    Will be sorely missed…. Intrigued to see a certain person on here having a go. What do you like? Generic Fullers selling overpriced crap ale and Strongbow?

    The Flo had character, hope to see Greg and Jane again in some capacity

  12. Simon

    30 May

    this sucks!
    is there anyway faithful fans of the pub over the years can help?
    like start a http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ fund to get it back on its feet?

  13. Trudy

    30 May

    A total shame, my favourite pub in Southsea xx

  14. Ben Mills

    30 May

    All the best for the future Greg and Jane i’m sure we’ll see you again soon.

    @floregular get a life. Sitting behind a disguised profile and taking a cheap shot is a poor effort. I’m sure you’re one of those Tripadvisor users with nothing better to do than grumble at people who are having a go in life.

    Many great times enjoyed in that pub and a real shame to see it go.

  15. Joel

    30 May

    So if you hate it so much why are you a regular? (apologies if you’ve got the squits)

  16. Elly Kelly

    31 May

    I’ve been going to the Flo before and since I was lebal to do so. Cider has always been my first love. My dad played many an irish gig there too. For me, a classic boozer will always have “smelly loos, poor service and awful worn out furniture” it’s what stops them being the same as the destitute, souless and desperate Lloyds bar and Wetherspoon franchises. Long live the independent boozer (stinky carpets ‘en all)

  17. sam foot

    31 May

    From another owner of a pub this is sad news another great pub the florence arms has closed down big love to greg & clan from everyone at the tavern. for a long time home of tongues & grooves the #1 session of spoken word & acoustic output from our city! turn the telly off support your local the real life social network with “friends” that are actually there with you to shake hands with & discuss/argue/laugh/share stories/loose you point laugh again while consuming real beer not out of a can on the sofa & wake up in the morning thinking that was a good night down the pub. use it or loose it to the monoliths of cheap booze! .

  18. Gareth C

    31 May

    Well said Ben, Sam and Elly!

    I’m just surprised that somebody who seems to dislike the Florence so much describes themselves as “floregular” – can’t be that bad if you still consider yourself a regular visitor…..

  19. @lord_palmerston

    31 May

    Greg & Jane did a superb job, and I hope they see this note of thanks for running my favourite Southsea pub. I hope it can be reopened. And to the critic – if it was as bad as you say, why did CAMRA continually list it in the Good Beer Guide?

  20. @princessclairin

    31 May

    Sorry to see this, hope it is temporary, I have known Greg for many years and love this unique, proper Pompey boozer. As others have said, give me worn (character) furniture and great staff any day over faceless wetherspoons or anything else. Hope we see its doors open again soon.

  21. @barred_of_avon

    31 May

    Great pub, great memories. Whenever I wanted to show any visitors to Southsea one of the good sides, I’d make sure they didn’t get close to Palmerston Road on a weekend evening and steer them in the direction of the Flo for an evening.

    Pubs in this city are dropping like the proverbial aren’t they?

    Where to now? The Marmion? The Vaults? That one in Eastney?

  22. @andypompeyfan

    1 June

    Gutted to say the least,

    Great pub and so many memories. After sustaining from booze for 2 months before last years GSR, I practically ran into the bar for a pint as soon as i crossed the finish line.

    Let’s all hope it opens soon, as for the ‘state’ of the toilets, in planet earth most of us expect toilets that would seem out of place at Buckingham Palace and as someone who spends more time in the bar with real people (who make the atmosphere) then give me the Flo over any chain pub, any day of the week!

  23. Luke

    1 June

    Incredibly gutted!! I love cider being from Somerset and this was the only place I could enjoy a huge selection of the stuff.

    Bad business advice? What were you advised? I’m an chartered accountant myself, maybe it’s not too late to save the day!

  24. Luke

    1 June

    @AstuteLuke re: above

  25. Charlie

    1 June

    @andypompeyfan, 2 months sans booze before the GSR?? I thought I was being good with my “no booze 4 days prior” rule…

  26. @andypompeyfan

    1 June

    @Charlie, it felt overboard on many an occasion, but I took ‘expert advice’ needless to say I was wasted PDQ after a few of those lovely ciders

  27. paddy sullivan

    1 June

    Good luck Jane, Greg and all your family.

    You are most excellent publicans and you will carry on that way if you want to.

    The Flo would have been closed years ago without you.

    Punch taverns. The name says it all Greg, remember ?

    See you soon

    paddy

  28. Karl & Jane

    5 June

    Gutted to hear that The Flo has closed. We spent many great Sunday afternoons enjoying a roast in there with friends & family. A proper pub with proper people.

    Always an excellent selection of drinks and recommendations for something new or different from Greg (Ruby port always requested but not always available….)

    I hope Greg and Jane can make a come back.

    Boo to all chain pubs.

  29. dom liz and clay

    5 June

    As with the other the comments we are devasted by this news : we have all been going to the Florence for years….we have relatives from all over the country and from Europe who insist on going to the Flo whenever they are in Southsea.
    Is there anybody out there who would run the pub as a community venture?

  30. Tim

    11 June

    I had an e-mail about the sad news from the chairman of our social group just yesterday. The Florence Arms was one of our very regular visits and it was a small and ‘cosey’ pub with a quiet nature about it, though it could also hold fuctions in the large back room. I thoroughly enjoyed it there because of the quiet atmosphere in a quiet corner of Southsea. The beer was good too actually. I am very saddened by the news and I hope that someone will purchase it and bring it back to the community, both locally and, for me, further afield.

  31. @andypompeyfan

    10 July

    It’s open again!!!!!!

    And it’s staying a cider pub, wonderful news

  32. Duncan

    22 July

    It may be open again, but what has happened to the ales?! Bring back the BROADSIDE ! ! !

  33. Steo

    3 August

    Bring back the regular chefs and the restaurant! Sunday lunch was fab! Good luck to Jane, Greg and thanks also to all the staff.

  34. Chris Faulkner

    25 January

    Hello All

    I have been reading with great interest the comments that you have all taken time to read, but before I go on I would like to introduce myself. My name is Chris and I have had the great fortune to be given the chance to take on this beautiful pub. So I thought I would just give you all a bit of an inside info on whats happeneing with your much loved pub (well most of you)As I am sure some of you are aware we took the pub over in June last year after Greg and Jane left. Some of you I am sure have been left less then impressed upto date as we have been reluctant to invest while Punch Taverns decided the future for the pub.

    So now we are in a completely different place now and I am sure some of you are aware we are closed for a re furbishment which although she had character generally the Flo was tired and dated along with the issues with drainage at the site it really did need an investment. So Punch are spending alot of money getting the Flo into a position that we all can be proud of.

    We plan to re open the weekend beginning the 15th Feb all being well. Without giving to much away we are working really hard to make sure that the offer, pricing, menus, environment is everything and more you could hope for. Yes she will look very different but I am confident that you will all love the new look. So I have gone on enough for now! but if you have any questions please do ask and I will do my best to answer them swiftly.

    Thankyou for your time reading this, hopefully it makes sense and it has sparked some excitment to get you all down to meet us on the relaunch weekend.

    Chris

  35. carly

    7 February

    whats your email address to send cv? 🙂 xx

  36. Mia williamson

    23 February

    Hi we are looking to come in for food next week, are you still allowing dogs in? Thanks

  37. Paul Windsor

    24 February

    I popped in with our dog the other day and he was allowed in a limited part of the pub, where the old lounge bar was.

  38. Phil

    26 February

    Poped in this weekend for a quick pint and promptly left, they have achieved quite a feat and removed ALL character that this pub once had, it now just feels like a standard chain pub.

    Shame.

    Maybe someone bag, but think they’ll have put off a lot of people who liked this place before.

  39. floregular

    3 March

    I visited last night and, as Phil says, all the character has been removed; In particular the lovely etched windows have gone, I wonder where to?

    The beer was not brilliant but just about OK (Triple fff from Alton at £3.20), the seats were clean and thankfully there was no smell from the loos. Service was basic but adequate but there was no drinks price list, which is illegal, as I understand it.

    I suppose a pub in this location is better than no pub at all but it is no longer the special place that Greg made it (when he was actually there).

  40. Robert titley

    22 October

    I was born and raised in this pub my dad and mum run this pub for so many years great memories in this pub as well can some 1 pls tell me if this has closed or is still open thank you

  41. Paul Gonella

    23 October

    Hi Robert, happy to inform you that the Florence was saved and went through a refurb and has been open for a while now.

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