Agony for Cains licensees as pubs shut
Several licensees at Cains pubs have told of their heartbreak as they face losing their jobs following the company administrator's decision to close unviable venues.
A significant number of the sites earmarked for closure by PriceWaterhouseCoopers are believed to be Punch leaseholds.
The total estate of 102 sites includes 26 freeholds and 76 leaseholds including 26 from Punch and 28 from Nectar Taverns, a company under the wing of Admiral Taverns owner Gary Landesberg.
One pub to be axed is the Ship at Lathom near Ormskirk in West Lancashire where manager Les Benthan and his staff were told the news yesterday.
Punch has told Bentham he can remain at the Ship if he can raise enough money for a bond and afford the rent.
However, the licensee said he would go bankrupt within a matter of months if he took on the pub.
"This pub is my life and I will not only lose my job but my home and dignity," he said.
The 17 staff at the pub including Les's fiancée Siobhan and her son Neil also face losing their jobs.
Another Cains manager running a pub in Cheshire faces being turned out of her pub today. "I am expecting the worst but I will play hard to get when they arrive," she promised.
The administrators say they will give more details of the closures once staff at each of the pubs have been informed.
"These are loss-making pubs which are not likely to realise any value for the creditors," said a spokesperson.
"We regret that staff at the loss-making pubs are being made redundant but we will continue to trade the remainder of the business and are dealing with numerous parties who have contacted us expressing interest in the group," the statement added.
It was revealed earlier this week that former owners, Sudargahara and Ajmail Dusanj, own the freehold of the Stanhope Street Brewery including brewing plant and 10 pubs via a family trust.
• Cains bids due today, Dusanj brothers tipped for brewery.
