Jodie Kidd shutters West Sussex pub after staff subjected to abuse
The Half Moon, a 15th-century venue in West Sussex, closes for three days amid reports of verbal and physical abuse toward staff; set to reopen Thursday.
Jodie Kidd's The Half Moon pub in West Sussex has temporarily closed for three days after staff reported a spate of verbal and physical abuse in recent weeks, the Daily Mail understands.
A post on the pub's Instagram said, '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.' The message added that, while the team knew it would not be to everyone's taste, staff had faced abuse 'in recent weeks' and that they are 'human.' The venue said it would be closed on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week and would reopen on Thursday 25 September at 12 Noon. Daily Mail has contacted a representative of Jodie Kidd for comment.
The Half Moon is a 15th-century Grade II-listed pub that Kidd purchased in 2017. It has earned favorable notices from celebrity-watch and restaurant guides; Tom Parker-Bowles has named it among the best pubs owned by a celebrity in the UK, and Review magazine described the restaurant as comfortable and relaxed and praised Kidd for being a hands-on owner.
Kidd's modelling career began as a teenager after being spotted on a Barbados beach by photographer Terry O'Neill. She fronted campaigns for Yves Saint Laurent and Chloe and later spoke openly about the pressures of the industry, including taking time away from modelling after a panic attack during a catwalk at 19, before returning to West Sussex and continuing to run the pub.
Daily Mail reached out for comment from Kidd's representatives on the closure and the circumstances described by staff.