Jodie Kidd‘s pub has temporarily shut after staff claimed they were subjected to physical and verbal abuse in a spate of incidents.
The model, 46, felt the need to close The Half Moon pub in West Sussex for three days after her staff were treated appallingly.
A post on the pub’s Instagram read: ‘We’ve worked hard to create more than just a pub – we’ve built a home.
‘A place for people to come together, enjoy good times, and make memories.
‘While we know we won’t be to everyone’s taste, it saddens us that in recent weeks we as a Team have faced abuse – both verbal and physical.
‘We’d like to remind everyone that behind The Half Moon is a team of people who care deeply about what we do. We are human.’
Jodie Kidd’s pub has temporarily shut after staff claimed they were subjected to physical and verbal abuse
The model, 46, felt the need to close The Half Moon pub in West Sussex for three days after her staff were treated appallingly
Another post informed patrons the pub would open its doors once again on Thursday September 25.
‘As many of you know, the work never truly stops behind the scenes, so taking some time to rest and recharge is essential.
‘We will be closed on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week, and will reopen on Thursday 25th September at 12 Noon as normal,’ they wrote.
It is not clear what the reason for the abuse the staff faced was.
The Daily Mail has contacted a representative of Jodie Kidd for comment.
The Half Moon at Kirdford is a 15th-century Grade II listed pub. Jodie purchased the venue in 2017.
Tom Parker-Bowles named it as one of the best pubs owned by a celebrity in the UK.
In the Daily Mail, he described it as ‘a proper pub – the sort you’d want to spend a few hours in.’
An Instagram post read: ‘While we know we won’t be to everyone’s taste, it saddens us that in recent weeks we as a Team have faced abuse – both verbal and physical’
Another post informed patrons the pub would open its doors once again on Thursday September 25 (Jodie pictured with Vogue Williams outside the pub)
The Half Moon at Kildford is a 15th-century Grade II listed pub. Jodie purchased the venue in 2017
‘Dating back to the 16th century, the Half Moon Inn has all you want from your village local – stone floors, old wooden beams, roaring fire, vast terrace with kitchen and lovely beer garden,’ he wrote.
It was also positively appraised by The Review magazine, which described the restaurant as ‘comfortable and relaxed’ and praised Jodie for being a ‘hands-on’ owner.
The Half Moon pub’s Google reviews are largely positive but some patrons have bemoaned the venue’s prices.
Pan-roast cod costs £24 while a Lamb Shepherd’s pie is priced at £29. A lamb burger will set you back £22 and the pub charges £24 for a stuffed chicken breast.
A Sunday lunch is priced at £38 for two courses and £48 for three.
Jodie candidly revealed in 2021 that The Half Moon was barely holding off after three Covid lockdowns.
Speaking to Sussex Live, she described the pub industry as ‘on its knees’.
‘When we got the pub in 2017 I started to really understand just how tough it is, how the taxes are so extraordinarily high and how the margins you make are really, really tiny,’ she said.
‘Things were tough then, never mind now with a pandemic and three lockdowns, yet still many don’t realise just how bad it really is.’
Jodie also noted that beer tax is another challenge publicans face.
‘Landlords like me are desperate to be open and welcome back our locals at the right time, but the thought of having tax increases to cope with on top of all this is unbearable,’ she said.
In another article for The Sun, Jodie noted the price of beer, writing: ‘Our beer has gone up so much this year. In 2017 a typical barrel of standard lager cost £180.
‘Now it costs £250 — a rise of just under 40 per cent.
‘And a barrel of premium beer used to be £200 and is now £290 — that’s an increase of 45 per cent.’
Jodie noted that if the pub was to pass this percentage on to their guests, a pint of standard larger that would’ve cost £4.80 in 2017 would cost £6.70 in 2023.
Jodie previously admitted it was ‘totally wrong’ to be ‘drinking champagne and smoking cigarettes’ with Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell at the age of just 16 at the start of her modelling career.
The model burst onto the fashion scene as a teenager, after being spotted on a beach in Barbados by photographer Terry O’Neil, and fronted campaigns for the likes of Yves Saint Laurent and Chloe.
Three years after suffering a horrific panic attack during a catwalk at 19 years old, Jodie quit the industry all together, eventually moving from London to her hometown in West Sussex.
As she looked back on her wild days on the catwalk with Kate, 51, and Naomi, 54, Jodie said it was ‘completely different’ compared to now.
Reflecting on her glittering modelling career on Olivia Attwood‘s So Wrong, It’s Right podcast, she said: ‘Nowadays it’s completely different.
‘But [when I was modelling] backstage all you had was champagne and it was very glamorous.
‘Big characters from Naomi running and strutting around to the designers to Kate, incredible characters.
‘And then everyone just drinking champagne and smoking cigarettes. I mean, I look back at it and it was very cool, but totally wrong for a 16-year-old girl to be doing that.’
