Beer, cider and wine shop to close after ten years in Midhurst

The Crafty Pint, on West Street, will close its doors for the last time on July 13 as owner Andrew Chiverton bids farewell to customers, friends, regulars and suppliers after a decade in the business.

He said it was a tough decision, a long time in the making, but, with the shop’s lease coming to an end; the time was right to move on. “It’s going to be a very sad day. I’m going to miss everyone. I’ll miss everything about it really, but I’ve got to look after my health first, and the health of those around me,” he said

"I’ve had long-term heart problems and, this year, I’ve had a lot of surgery. When I had the first lot 20 years ago, I recovered pretty quickly, but now I’m 63 it’s a lot harder to recover from.”

Mr Chiverton first moved to Midhurst in 1978 to run The Royal Oak pub with his family. After spending some time away from the world of craft beers, real ales and good wines, he opened The Crafty Pint in 2014, carrying forward an ethos of hard work and locally-sourced goods that made his run at The Royal Oak so successful.

Between the pandemic, the cost of living crisis and The Angel Inn fire last year, it’s been a tough decade for retail businesses, and Mr Chiverton has plenty to be proud of, but also plenty of people to thank – foremost among them is John, his long-standing colleague, who, he says, has supported The Crafty Pint through thick and thin: “He’s stuck with us for the complete ten years. He’s been an absolute brick he’s stood in when I haven’t been able to get there, or had problems and he’s been no end of help. he really deserves a special mention.

"But I also want to thank my fellow traders in the town. Everybody’s always been so helpful, and there’s a really good business network in the town; we look after each other.”