Fund launched to help campaigning licensee

A campaigning licensee has spoken of her gratitude after discovering that a fund has been set up to help her avoid bankruptcy.

Inez Ward, founder of Justice for Licensees and publican at Mavericks in Newquay, Cornwall, faces legal costs of £11,500 after failing in her bid to take out an injunction against pubco Enterprise Inns in May 2008. She also faces bills for back rent for up to £7,000.

According to Inez, she received the statutory demand for payment from the pubco on January 27, the day after she led more than100 campaigners in a protest against the beer tie and high rents outside the headquarters of Punch Taverns and Enterprise Inns.

Her troubles have also been aggravated by heath problems after experiencing two heart attacks in the past 18 months.

Since the fund was launched last week by the Fair Pint campaign, licensees have already pledged to raise £3,000 to help her pay these debts.

Inez said she was "blown away" by their efforts and added she had never taken any action on behalf of licensees for personal gain.

"There are no words to describe how I feel. I never expected this. Anything I have done is because I recognise the difference between right and wrong.

"I really appreciate what they have done but it is a bit weird for me. I feel the money should be used to help all the tenants."

Inez is also in charge of the Save the Great British Pub campaign which now has 135,000 members on Facebook.

"This is one piece of good news," she said. "It shows that the trade is finally starting to unite. And until we do that, we will continue to be ravaged."