Ed Sheeran's bar and diner, Bertie Blossoms, is struggling amid Britain's ongoing pub crisis, with accounts revealing net current liabilities of £1.3 million as of December 2024. The company, That Dive Bar Portobello, which runs the establishment, has seen its financial position worsen by £763,000 since December 2021.
The pop star purchased the Notting Hill venue in 2019, just before the Covid-19 pandemic forced temporary closures. Despite Sheeran taking two months off music to oversee renovations, the business has yet to turn a profit. Staff numbers have been cut from ten in 2020 to just five by December 2024.
The struggles of Bertie Blossoms reflect a wider crisis in the UK hospitality sector. New figures show 188 pubs were lost in the final quarter of 2025, with 123 being community pubs reliant on drink sales. Overall, the number of hospitality sites fell by 382 between September and December, equivalent to more than four net closures per day.
Sheeran, reportedly worth £300 million, named the venue after his wife Cherry Seaborn and his manager's partner Liberty Shaw. During lockdowns, the bar offered half-price white wine on Deliveroo to attract takeaway orders. It closed again in early 2024 for a major refurbishment before reopening last February.
The singer previously admitted the venture was challenging, saying: "If you're looking to make a small fortune in the food industry you should start with a large fortune." He noted that unless you are a celebrity chef with multiple restaurants, it is very difficult to succeed.
