A Cornish pub famed for appearing in Doc Martin is set to reopen after financial difficulties closed its doors last month.
The Golden Lion pub in Port Isaac announced on Facebook on 8 March: “We're back open soon! We're looking forward to welcoming you back into our friendly pub!”
Pub owner St Austell Brewery told Cornwall Live that it plans to start pouring pints this week.
Several Golden Lion regulars commented, calling the site’s reopening “fantastic news”.
The pub, seen on screen in the former ITV medical drama as the Crab and Lobster, closed suddenly alongside three others – The Pityme Inn at St Minver, the London Inn in Padstow and the Lugger Inn in Polruan – last month.
Actor Martin Clunes, playing Dr Martin Ellingham, was often seen filming in the picturesque pub that featured regularly in scenes from the show.
Cornish Inns said during the closure that it could not afford to keep the pubs going “safely and responsibly”.
Jason Black, co-director of Cornish Inns, which manages the four pubs, told staff in a message at the time: “Unfortunately, winter trading has continued to impact cash flow and there is not enough capital left to continue safely and responsibly,” reported Cornwall Live.
British pubs faced a challenging year in 2025, with one establishment closing its doors permanently every day due to persistent cost pressures.
Last year, figures revealed that 366 pubs were either demolished or repurposed for other uses in the months leading up to December.
The data, compiled by tax specialists at Ryan, indicated a decline in the total number of pubs across England and Wales, including vacant premises, from 38,989 to 38,623 over the year.
