Tarmac gangs target pubs

There is a new threat in the battle to beat rogue traders - tarmac gangs.

Tarmac gangs have traditionally targeted older, more vulnerable people for the scam, which involves bullying people into paying for shoddy work done on their front drives. However, tarmac gangs have now begun targeting pubs.

Sarah Smith, the Trading Standards Institute's lead officer for scams, said: "Tarmac gangs trick older people into having their drive re-laid, for example, and do a poor job. They then try to extract the money using heavy tactics. But we know they do it to small businesses as well, especially pubs, and will try to use intimidation to get money out of you.

"Say you've got a pub car park - tarmac gangs will come in and say you need your car park re-tarmacked. Before you can say yes or no they have done the job - and it's a rubbish job as well. They then come in and try and get five or 10 thousand pound off you."

Over the past few years publicans have been targeted by a range of scammers, including scare mongering letters demanding payments to meet government legislation, telephone calls from bogus salespeople selling anything from advertising to rate appeals, as well as new entrants to the trade being taken for thousands of pounds with the promise of the pub of their dreams.

Statistics from the Office of Fair Trading show that nearly half of the UK population - 20 million people over the age of 15 - have been targeted by a scam.

If you are being targeted by tarmac gangs, Ms Smith advises licensees to refuse to pay and phone the police.

Have you been the victim of a tarmac gang? If so, contact The Publican on 020 7955 3759 or email wyin-poole@cmpi.biz