One of Exeter’s oldest pubs has been boarded up to combat squatters, drug users and intruders filming videos for TikTok.
The Port Royal closed earlier this year with the owners saying they could no longer trade profitably. The pub has a history dating back about 170 years and is known for its location on the banks of the River Exe.
Owners Stonegate are looking for new tenants. Meanwhile, latest photos show the pub is in a sorry state. Metal sheets have been attached to many of the windows to beef up security.
One local resident told DevonLive it has been a target of anti-social behaviour and trespassers.
The Port Royal Exeter(Image: DevonLive)
“The last two or three weeks we’ve seen police attending a number of times. I know it was broken into three times and it looks totally derelict.
“There are now steel shutters all around the building and the patio. It’s very sad. This is one of Exeter’s oldest pubs and unfortunately its future looks bleak.”
Stonegate is still actively looking for new tenants. Its website describes The Port Royal as an iconic Exeter pub situated directly on the banks of the River Exe, offering stunning waterside views and excellent passing footfall along Wierfield Path.
The Port Royal Exeter(Image: DevonLive)
It says the pub is much‑loved by the local community and exciting opportunity for an experienced operator looking to elevate a well‑established business.
A number of videos have appeared online in recent weeks taken by trespassers, claiming the building has been abandoned. They appear to have been taken just before security was tightened.
The pub has a history dating back to the 1840s, though the building itself is older. According to Exeter Memories it once had the same landlord for 66 years was hit by a whirlwind. For many years it was a base for the Exeter Rowing Club. The club moved in the 1980s and its clubhouse became the function room.
The Port Royal Exeter(Image: DevonLive)
In recent years it had a loyal customer base but struggled to attract passing trade and appeared in desperate need of refurbishment.
In a statement, tenants of the brewery-owned pub, said in January: “We are extremely sad to announce that our tenure at The Port Royal has come to an end and we will not be reopening.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the last six plus years.
“Unfortunately there has been a complete lack of support from both the government and Stonegate our landlords which has made the trading environment unsustainable.
“This has not been an easy decision for us to make.”
A spokesperson for Stonegate said: “We are actively seeking a new publican following the departure of the previous long-standing publican. During the recruitment process we have had to secure the building and we now have additional security measures in place.
“We hope to recruit a new publican within the next six weeks and can confirm that the Port Royal remains very much part of Stonegate’s plans for the future.”