An Enterprise tenant could be ordered to pay nearly £11,000 in costs after a failed bid to take out an interim injunction against the pubco.
Inez Ward (pictured with husband Craig at the launch of Fair Pint), who has been at Mavericks in Newquay, Cornwall since October 2002 and signed a lease in March 2003, filed for an interim injunction against Enterprise under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and hoped to secure a full hearing on the matter.
Ward wanted phone calls from the company limited to beer orders, all correspondence to be made in writing and all meetings to take place in the presence of an independent witness and for minutes to be taken.
She was not seeking to ban them from entering the property.
However, the judge ruled against Ward's action last week.
Ward, who represented herself, has been left to pay interim costs of around £4,000, which could rise to £10, 814.70 after the balance of costs is assessed.
Back payments
The Wards previously won a reprieve for the second time to stay at their pub in February.
They were given until 5 September to pay back the £12,700 they owe the pubco in rent.
Enterprise had applied to Truro County Court for forfeiture of the lease within 28 days after the couple fell behind on rent payments in October 2007.
"I am very disappointed and I now have some serious thinking to do," said Ward.
"All I have ever wanted to do is run my pub and work with them but the partnership has broken down and become untenable."
An Enterprise spokesman said: "The judge made it quite clear that Mrs Ward's application was totally ill-founded and without any merit whatsoever.
"He was content not only to dismiss Mrs Ward's interim application but her whole claim as it stood no prospect of success.
"As the legal proceedings were initiated by Mrs Ward and unsuccessful, he ordered her to pay the costs.
"There is simply nothing more to say on the matter."