Stunned host knocks back Punch offer

Punch Taverns has offered to buy and lease back a pub owned by the man who led a revolt against the company three years ago.

Dave Westwood recently bought the Vine in Rugeley, Staffordshire, from London & Edinburgh Inns.

He previously spent five years at the pub under Punch before quitting in 2003 following a series of bust-ups.

They included being fined for buying beer outside the tie, threatening to dump waste in the car park at Punch headquarters and leading the Federation of Pub Partnerships group to campaign against the beer tie and high rents.

Westwood was so pleased to buy the pub at the start of October he even vowed to invite all Punch's directors to the official reopening, but none replied. However, he said he was 'stunned' to receive a letter from Punch telling him it was looking to buy freeholds in the area and would lease the pub back to him if terms were agreed.

'I can't believe they want me back,' he said. 'They only chucked me out two-and-a-half years ago. They want the Vine back in their clutches but there is no way I would sell the pub.'

Westwood plans to respond to the letter by declining the offer.

'I wouldn't sell my pub to them if they offered me £2m,' he added.

A Punch spokesman said: 'We can understand why this offer probably wouldn't appeal to Mr Westwood and, as such, we're happy to remove him from our mailing list.'