Campaigning licensee vows to fight on

Campaigning licensee Inez Ward has vowed to keep fighting on behalf of tied tenants and lessees despite having to close her pub.

Inez, founder of campaign groups Justice for licensees and Save the Great British Pub, had to shut the doors of Mavericks Inn in Cornwall after failing to pay an £11,500 electricity bill.

"I don't blame the electricity company, she said. "And I'm not walking away from the campaign. If Enterprise Inns think this is going to shut me up they are very badly mistaken."

In January she led more than 100 licensees in a protest against the beer tie at the headquarters of Enterprise Inns and Punch Taverns.

And last month many of those licensees set up a fund to help Inez pay her debts.

But she still owes Enterprise Inns thousands of pounds in back rent and £11,000 in legal costs after she failed to take out an interim injunction against them last year.

Now Inez who suffers from angina is living in the pub without any heating or hot water.

"I'm on a lot of medication at the moment and because of the blood thinning drugs I'm cold anyway so it is awful living here.

"My child is having to sleep on the settee because there is no way I can put him in the bedroom because it is too cold."

Inez added having to close the pub before the start of tourist season was an added blow.

"Everybody was quite optimistic because there are less people travelling abroad. Bookings were up too. If we could have held out four weeks we would have been alright."