Punch host wins village mast battle

A Punch tenant has taken on the might of the pubco and mobile phone company, 3, and won.

Peter Williams, of the Axe and Square, in the Leicestershire village of Countesthorpe, tore up a proposal for a phone mast after Punch offered the mobile phone company land for the 40-foot-high mast outside the pub.

"I didn't know anything about the planning application. As soon as I found out, I telephoned Punch and told them - in no uncertain terms - that as long as I'm paying the rent, there will be no mast on these premises," said Williams.

"I was told they would withdraw the application on my say-so."

A Punch Taverns spokesman said: "We can confirm the application has been withdrawn due to operational reasons."

Before contacting Punch Taverns, 3 had approached owners of 11 other sites in the same village.

A 3 spokeswoman said the firm needed a location in the village to fill a gap in coverage, and would keep looking: "The fact remains that we still need a site in the village."