A SALISBURY bar has closed its doors permanently, with owners blaming Covid-19 and the recent BBC Novichok drama for its closure.

Dancing Moose on Blue Boar Row opened in July last year, offering music, cocktails and food. Alongside other restaurants and pubs, it closed in March as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

When the hospitality sector started to reopen at the weekend in the latest lift of lockdown measures however, Dancing Moose did not.

The bar owner has now confirmed the Salisbury branch will not be reopening.

This comes after the news that Salisbury's Cafe Rouge was permanently closed and uncertainty was raised around the city's Pret a Manger branch.

Marc Clark, Dancing Moose owner, said business in the city centre had "simply become unsustainable" and "Salisbury is slowly closing its doors as a city".

He added: "We have unfortunately closed the above site just one year in to service. Many of the shops located along Blue Boar Row including Debenhams and others in the area like Cafe Rouge and a fair few smaller retailers have closed their doors also.

"Unfortunately with all the press around the Covid-19 pandemic and followed up by the BBC revisiting the Novichok episode we feel that Salisbury is slowly closing its doors as a city and we can't be a part of that.

"The rents and rates in this area also played a part in our decision to close."

Mr Clark added: "I hope and trust the government and local government will support the remaining businesses as best they can and I certainly wish the best for the remaining tenants of Salisbury."