One of York’s best-loved bars will close this Sunday after ten years.
The owners of Pairings Wine Bar on Castlegate say they don’t want to shut but have been left with no choice.
Many of the bar’s regular customers, named as one of the best ‘date night’ spots in the world by TripAdvisor last year, have spoken of their shock and dismay at the news.
Sisters Kate Latham and Kelly Gamble created Pairings inside the former Fashionista clothing shop and opened in October 2015.
Since then it’s won many plaudits and legions of fans.
They said the landlord’s has to take back the property and operate it under a different brand.
“Our hand has been forced,” said Kate. “We’ve fought hard because our people matter – our team, our guests, and our community.
“We explored every possible option to remain in the city centre, driven by our commitment to protect meaningful careers and the warm, welcoming experience Pairings is known for.
“Unfortunately, there is no viable route that allows us to continue trading at this time.”
On social media, the sisters wrote: “We had been working hard on plans to relocate nearby, but this became unviable due to planning and budget challenges far beyond what we could reasonably overcome.”
Pairings was due to move into the empty property at 18 Castlegate, previously home to Briggs Burley, chartered surveyors, and RM English estate agents.
City of York Council granted a premises licence for the property in September. But now the move is off.
The registered owners of 28 Castlegate, home to Pairings, are Fehim Kaya of Huddersfield and Daniel Mark Adrian Broome of North Duffield. They bought the property in 2016 for £1.3m.
Pairings had become a special place to many in York, and hundreds have commented on the closure. “I am devastated to hear this,” one wrote.
“You are one of my favorite places in the world (literally).”
Another wrote: “Oh what a terrible loss for the city! Pairings is the essence of York culture and connection – so shocked and sad to read this.”
“Absolute gem of a place, let’s hope you find the perfect place, and up and running again very soon,” a third commented.
Kelly added: “We want to be absolutely clear – this is not the end of our story. Pairings has always been driven by passion: a genuine love for hospitality, for our team, and for every guest who walks through our doors.
“We are immensely proud of what we’ve built and deeply grateful for the loyalty, kindness, and support our guests continue to show us.”
“We’re incredibly proud of what Pairings stands for – genuine warmth, deep knowledge, generosity, and an unwavering commitment to looking after people,” said Kate.
“We want customers to understand that this change reflects circumstances beyond our control, not the performance of the business.
“While we may be stepping away from Castlegate, we are not stepping away from what makes Pairings special. This is the close of one chapter, not the end of the story.”
They said the Pairings team will remain employed, with job security a key priority throughout the transition.
Kate and Kelly are now taking time to explore future opportunities in York and the surrounding region.
All existing bookings after the closure date on Saturday will be cancelled, and they’ll be contacting guests directly.
Anyone with vouchers is encouraged to use them in the last few days. But valid unredeemed vouchers will be fully refunded – contact them at [email protected] with the voucher code.
They added: “Most importantly, this is not the end of Pairings. We remain committed to hospitality, to our guests, and to finding the right next step when the time is right.
“Thank you for 10 years of loyalty, love, laughter, and support.”
