Sacked Sam Smith's manager stands firm

A sacked pub manager is still holed up in the living quarters of York's Brown Cow today almost three weeks after a deadline imposed by brewer Sam Smith's to vacate the premises.

Host Paul Brown, dismissed after being discovered smoking in the bar of the city centre pub, says he will not leave until the brewery pays back his £1,000 entry deposit bond.

The Tadcaster-based company changed the locks to the door of the flat inside the pub after sacking Brown but in a bizarre move then paid for contractors to erect scaffolding at the rear of the premises allowing the manager and his wife access to the living quarters via a first floor window.

The brewery warned Brown and his wife Carol that they were occupying the flat as trespassers and imposed a deadline of 4 March for them to leave.

The couple say they intend to appeal against their dismissal and have warned the brewery they may take their case to an employment tribunal if the appeal fails.

Brown was spotted smoking in the bar of the pub after the premises had closed by a licensing officer.

He claims he did not realise smoking legislation still applied if the premises were shut.