Last night The Chronicle joined The Grumpy Goat for their closing party, where dozens of people attended in Halloween fancy dress for drinks and complimentary cheese tasters.

The small eatery and bar located in smelly alley was bursting with supporters of the independent business.

As previously reported, owners Anne-Marie and Charlie Beatty told The Chronicle that the shop will close on Saturday after being given just seven days to vacate the property by their landlord.

The Chronicle spoke with the owner’s niece and supervisor Amberleigh Whitehouse who said: “It’s been a really hard week. We’ve been so busy it’s almost been like how it is at Christmas!”

She continued: “It’s been so good to see people’s support, we’ve got almost no beer left and we had to order more cheese yesterday. There’s been no time to be emotional.”

The shelves downstairs in the store section of The Grumpy Goat lay almost completely empty, many customers having bought up the final bottles of craft beer and specialty cheeses.

Upstairs in the bar a huge number of guests enjoyed an intimate evening with popular songs blaring on overhead speakers.

Free cheese tasters were passed around, and the bar was open for customers to enjoy artisanal wine and pints.

Due to the evening falling on the Saturday before Halloween, a number of guests were also adorned in spooky costumes.

The Chronicle spoke with Ms Becci Ward who said: “It’s really sad, I didn’t know it was closing down. It’s one of my favourite local places to go.”

She continued: “I was bringing my friends from London here to show them one of my favourite bars. It’s a shame it won’t be here anymore.”

Guests upstairs in The Grumpy Goat jostled for places to stand or sit to enjoy the drinks and free cheeses.

The atmosphere was merry and vibrant, with many saying that it’s a shame they won’t be able to share an evening here like this again.

The Chronicle also spoke with frequent customer Kerre Corbin who said: “I’m very sad that The Grumpy Goat is closing, I come here often.

“It’s the end of an era, the diversity that it brings to Reading’s high street will be lost. Craft beer in Reading is so hard to find as well. It’s a staple of Reading, so it’s a real shame.”