The Bitterne Park Hotel pub on Cobden Avenue was being boarded up on Wednesday morning (Jan 15). The 'To Let' sign is still visible in the photograph, and the tenancy is still listed on both Enterprise Inn's website [search 'Southampton'] and here. So will it re-open as a pub? Pic: Ann MacGillivray

 
A local trend seems to be for pubs to be sold or leased off to national convenience store chains:  The Castle at Midanbury is now a Tesco and the Stoneham Arms in Bassett Green Road will reportedly become a Co-op. There's also been a well-publicised campaign to try to stop The Bittern in Thornill Park Road (owned by Punch Taverns) becoming a McDonald's. 

But with a Tesco just four doors up Cobden Avenue, a Co-op already at the Triangle and a Sainsbury's megastore just up the road in Portswood, and with no apparent planning applications for the site currently lodged with the council, it all begs the question: what next for the Bitterne Park Hotel?

Enterprise Inns weren't immediately able to comment at the time of publication. 

Update 16/1/14: see later story including Enterprise Inns comment Bitterne Park Hotel could re-open as pub