Pub firms refusing to pay for damage (From Evesham Journal)
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Pub firms refusing to pay for damage
1:00pm Saturday 11th August 2012 in News
WHO WILL PAY FOR DAMAGE? Diana Bailey and Neil Hodgkiss, who live on either side of the Miller’s Arms in Bridge Street, Pershore
A WORLD War Two veteran who says her property was damaged by drinkers from a neighbouring pub is still waiting for compensation more than 10 months on.
Diana Bailey lives next door to the Millers Arms on Bridge Street, Pershore. She told the Journal that in October last year two men drinking in the pub climbed into her garden causing £237 of damage.
Since then she has been trying to claim compensation for the repairs from the landlord at the time, Darren Eden, of Spirit Hospitality, or from brewery firm Wadworth, which owns the historic pub.
However, both say it is not their responsibility.
“The main problem was when two drinkers came over the wall into my garden in October,” said Mrs Bailey.
“They dropped down into the garden and dragged all the electric cables with them, it was very dangerous.
It wasn’t the first time. I have had a lot of smashed glass in the garden.
“It is my property but they damaged it so I thought they were responsible.”
Spirit Hospitality boss Darren Eden, who also runs the town’s Angel Hotel, decided to close the Millers at the beginning of the year after brawls broke out on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, both of which required the police to attend.
A statement he issued at the time said the reason was that some of the pub’s clientele posed a risk to staff, customers and the community and that it was not fitting in with the company’s values.
The Millers has since reopened with new tenants at the helm and has been trouble free. Mrs Bailey says there is no question of the new tenants being liable for the repair bill.
Peter Sullivan, sales and marketing director at Wadworth, said while they were responsible for the fabric of the building, the responsibility of the behaviour of the clientele lay with Darren Eden as the tenant at the time.
Mr Eden said they investigated the incident at the time it was reported, but saw no damage.
He added that they had no record of anyone gaining access to the neighbour’s property and the pub had closed at midnight, an hour before the incident is said to have happened.
“We also contacted the local police who advised us they did not have any record of the alleged incident,” said Mr Eden.
“We communicated with Wadworth’s brewery and believe the matter to be closed.”
