Pub couple locked out by bailiffs (From Swindon Advertiser)

Pub couple locked out by bailiffs

9:10am Wednesday 23rd December 2009 in

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TERRY and Laura Harris were left in the street clutching their two young children after baliffs forced them from their pub two days before Christmas.

The couple, who have run the Elm Tree, in Stouds Hill, Chiseldon, for 13 months, arrived yesterday morning to find they had been locked out.

They were not even allowed in to collect the Christmas presents they has bought for Tyler, six, and Reece, three.

“I am just in shock,” said Laura, 43.

“We got a call from someone telling us the pub had been broken into and when we got here it had been boarded up. The baliffs wouldn’t even let us in to get the little ones’ Christmas presents.”

The family, who live in Moredon, claim they did not receive the legal notice informing them they had 28 days to vacate the premises before owner Admiral Taverns put the pub up for sale.

The company said the letter was hand delivered to the Harrises, who agreed to vacate by December 18.

When they did not, the brewery instructed Safe Estates to take possession of the pub and board it up.

But Laura and Terry, who deny they knew anything of the eviction, claim that far from being asked to leave, they had been promised a £100,000 makeover for the pub in the New Year so they could finally move in.

But yesterday the pub was on sale for £300,000 freehold on Admiral Taverns’ website.

“The place has not had gas for over a year,” said Terry, 50. “We were just caretaking for it to begin with but the brewery begged us to take it on. They promised they would refurbish it so we could move in and help us really turn it into something.

“Now they have turfed us out – and our lease doesn’t run out until April next year.”

Laura, who refused to leave the site yesterday, said she feels cheated by the brewery who accepted an order for £3,000 of stock just last week.

“They didn’t say a thing when I called with the Christmas order,” she said.

“They knew full well we were preparing for Christmas, we have a disco and karaoke night planned and a New Year’s Eve party.”

The couple, who say they haven’t been given a reason for the eviction, said they now have no hope of giving their children a proper Christmas, after their dream of revamping the pub was snatched away.

It has been a labour of love for Laura, whose parents ran the pub when she was a teenager.

“I came back and it was derelict,” she said. “When we went in to re-open we had to clean up dead rats, rat mess and put a lot of our own money into making it suitable for customers – now we have nothing to show for it.”

A spokesman for Admiral Taverns said: “We notified Mr and Mrs Harris about the sale of the Elm Tree in August and they were given 28 days notice on November 16.

“The notice was hand delivered to the Harrises and they agreed they would vacate the pub by the 18th of December.

“However, Mr and Mrs Harris have failed to honour this notice and as a result we were left with no alternative but to take possession of the pub yesterday.”