Desperate publicans claim squatters' rights

Two Licensees facing eviction from their pub are refusing to leave and are claiming squatters' rights.

Alison Hobbs and Sean Crawford said they were forced to close the Grey Bull Inn in Stanhope, County Durham, after increases in rent and beer prices made the business unviable.

The pub stopped serving on Sunday September 28 and the following day their pubco Marston's filed for their eviction.

But the licensees are now using Section Six of the Criminal Law Act to claim squatters' rights, and are refusing to vacate the property.

"We have invested everything we have in this pub. We sold our house to come here and now we have nothing," said Alison.

"We need to do this to ensure that we can stay for a couple more months - long enough to find a new home and new jobs."

Having ploughed nearly £30,000 of their own money into the pub to keep it afloat, Alison and Sean are angry that Marston's is trying to evict them.

But by invoking squatters rights Marston's will have to take the licensees to court to remove them.

"We're quite disappointed with Marston's because we have done everything possible to keep the business open at our own cost," said Alison.

A Marston's spokeswoman said: "Marston's Pub Company has filed an eviction notice on the tenants of the Grey Bull as agreed with the couple following their decision to close their business.

"Marston's has worked hard with the tenants over the last year to help them try and make the business a success which included a number of rent rebates on the premises and free stock."