Sacked licensee protests by staging a pub lock-in

The man charged with running an historic Macclesfield pub in Cheshire ­ which won praise from Prince Charles after a group of residents stumped up the cash to save it from developers ­ locked himself inside after his bosses ordered him to leave.

Chris Bullock barricaded himself into the living quarters of the 600-year-old Swan Inn at Kettleshulme last week on hearing the news of his departure. He was given a three-month trial at the pub by a consortium of 21 regulars, who set aside £425,000 to preserve the Swan in February.

The owners decided to sack Bullock, for reasons that have not been revealed by either side, but he has refused to budge, although his wife has already left.

Another man has been hired to run the pub in the meantime.

The current owners bought the pub from previous landlord Ian Edmonds, who planned to convert it into a house. This prompted Prince Charles to offer his "warmest congratulations", saying it was a "marvellous example".

There was no answer when the Morning Advertiser phoned the pub, but Bullock told the Manchester Evening News: "There's a grievance on both sides, but I think it will be resolved shortly."

One of the directors of the consortium said Bullock and his wife's contract was terminated for "a number of reasons". "In simple terms they were unable to fulfil their contract."