The owner of a popular Greek restaurant and pub has spoken of his sadness after deciding to close the business this week.

Yiayias at The Fox in Lower Bourne permanently shut its doors on Sunday, May 11, 2025.

Owner Paul Pyrgoudes took over the Grade-II listed pub on Frensham Road six years ago, transforming it into a thriving eatery serving Cypriot, Greek and Middle Eastern cuisines, alongside traditional pub offerings.

Mr Pyrgoudes described it as a “really difficult decision” to close.

“I am so, so, so upset,” he said. “I love Farnham, I love the people, I love the community.”

While business remained “reasonable,” he explained, “the long and short of it is that it’s been tougher and tougher in the UK since Covid.

“We’ve had to look at our strategy and say ‘it’s a Grade-II listed building, it needed a lot of maintenance’ and we so needed another site,” he added.

Going forward, he said he plans to focus more on the food side of the business rather than the pub.

Yiayias still operates restaurants in Southampton and Winchester, and Mr Pyrgoudes hopes to return to Farnham in the future.

“We’ve taken a decision to downsize. We want to look at getting a unit in the town centre and go from there.

“I’ve heard there’s a new development in Farnham, with a few bits and bobs going on there,” he hinted.

“Thank you to everybody on our behalf. The community has been amazing over the years so we’re really sorry to close,” he added.

Cllr Carole Cockburn, Waverley Borough Council ward member for Lower Bourne, said she was saddened to hear the news of the closure.

“The pub’s at the centre of the village and it’s very much a treasured building,” she said.

“I hope somebody takes the pub over and makes a success of it.”