Last orders for Welwyn Garden City pub that starred in The World’s End sci-fi film

The Parkway Bar in Welwyn Garden City before it closed. Picture: Nina Morgan (Image: Archant)

The Parkway Bar, which starred in The World’s End film as The Cross Hands, held an “end of an era bash” on December 30

The premises is now boarded up with metal sheeting in a similar fashion to 22 Parkway across the road, which is owned by JD Wetherspoon.

However, JD Wetherspoon has denied any interest or involvement in The Parkway Bar premises.

Another unconfirmed rumour circulating in the town is that The Parkway Bar may be turned into a Turkish restaurant.

The Parkway Bar in Welwyn Garden City before it closed. Picture: Nina Morgan (Image: Archant)

But a Welwyn Hatfield Council spokeswoman confirmed that no planning applications had been made in connection with the address.

Former staff of the pub and club are devastated following The Parkway Bar’s closure.

Mark Franklin, 34, of Biggleswade, had been a DJ there for around five years every Friday night from 10pm until 2am.

He said: “Despite the place being in need of a desperate makeover the place was continuously busy most Fridays.

Parkway Bar was painted red and yellow in 2009. At the time residents wrote to the Welwyn Hatfield Times to complain about how 'garish' it looked. (Image: Archant)

“I met some great characters including bar staff, managers and customers.

“I was lucky that each manager let me choose the music and although my choice was RnB, urban, garage and house we still managed to pull in some older customers too.”

Mark added: “It was what it was.

“It was never going to be a glitz and glamour venue but what it lacked in class it made up for in character.

“It was a place for youngsters to start out on their clubbing experiences as well as older customers who wanted a local late night get together.”

Mark believes that if the club was brought up to date with today’s clubbing standards it could be a “little gold mine”.

In 2009 new owners took over the premises, formerly named O’Neill’s, and launched a menu alongside the introduction of a dress code for Club 67 upstairs.

The building also had a slick of paint and banned boozers from wearing football shirts in the pub after 9.30pm.

Summer Thomas, 18, of Mill Green Road, who started working there at 15 as a glass collector until she was old enough to be a barmaid, said: “I am going to miss the Parkway.

“It was a lovely little pub with its fair share of riffraff but at the end of the day what pub doesn’t have that?

“It is the only pub that our customers feel catered for everyone.”