A pub-restaurant chain has quit Congresbury amid rising business rates and poor summer trade.

The keys to The Ship and Castle, in High Street, have been handed to new tenants after Mezze Restaurants took the ‘difficult’ decision to leave five years after opening in Congresbury.

A spokesman told the Mercury: “The decision was a difficult one, as we felt so at home in Congresbury, but was made based mainly on rising business rates and a poor summer trade.

“The site heavily relies on summer sun to be able to show a profit and this year the sun just did not seem to have his hat on.

“On top of this the site has a rent that, in our opinion, has not moved with the downturn in trade and does not lend itself to long term sustainability.”

The spokesman added Mezze Restaurants was ‘overwhelmed’ by the support it received over the years and ‘would love to make a return when the time is right.’