A Wetherspoons on the market since September last year has found a buyer.

The Moon on the Hill in Station Road, Harrow, is now under offer and set to close permanently once the deal goes through, but will continue to trade as normal in the meantime.

It was one of nearly 40 Wetherspoon pubs put up for sale after the chain warned it faced losing £30 million due to repair costs and rising staff wages.

Just last week, the Harrow Times reported that it was still on the market after four months.

Addressing the new offer, Wetherspoon spokesperson Eddie Gershon said: “It’s like buying a house though, it’s under offer but it doesn’t mean that it’s going to go through.

“That’s where we are. Offers can be pulled, but from our point of view it’s good that there’s a buyer interested.”

He added: “If it does get sold there will be no redundancies, all staff will be offered jobs at other Wetherspoons pubs in the area.”

If the deal goes through, The Moon on the Hill will become the third town centre pub to close in the last year.

O’Neill’s pub, also in Station Road, has now been replaced by a Turkish restaurant, while The Case is Altered, in Old Redding, also shut down.

A local campaign group even started a petition to ‘Save Our Spoons’ in what it called a bid to “help halt the decline” of Harrow high street.

Speaking about locals wanting the pub to continue operating, Mr Gershon said: “We understand that customers and staff are disappointed that it’s up for sale but we just had to make some decisions for the business and those are not always the decisions that people that use the pub or work in the pub are keen on."

He added: “[The Moon on the Hill] is a popular pub, but Wetherspoon over the years has always sold some of its pubs, it’s just a commercial decision.

“It’s a successful business and that’s because we have to make certain decisions.”

Despite closures in certain areas, Wetherspoon is looking to expand elsewhere in London with plans submitted for it to take over a former lap-dancing club in Euston.

Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin blamed the pandemic for a change in consumer behaviour.

He said: “People thought that after lockdown there would be a boom in people suffering from cabin fever but, instead, it has almost been the opposite situation as people have got in the habit of staying in.”

When asked if there were any circumstances under which the premises would be kept,  Mr Gershon said: “Our aim is to sell the pub.”