Former tenant to sue Punch after facing '10 weeks of hell'

Steven Sparrow, who took on the Mill Tavern in Shottermill, West Sussex, on a tenancy at will in April, is to sue the pub company after his gas supply was disconnected due to an unpaid bill totalling almost £10,000.

Sparrow returned his keys last week and has claimed for misrepresentation. He said he was told the pub would make profits of £3,000 to £4,000 per week in food but Sparrow claimed it was not fit to serve hot food for the 10 weeks he was there.

He has also claimed for rent, loss of money after throwing food away and loss of profit after an environmental health officer ordered he cancel a barbecue party due to the lack of hot water on the site.

Disappointment​

“It was 10 weeks of hell,” he said. “An environmental health officer told me the fact there was no hot water was a breach of human rights and against the law.”

Sparrow runs two other pubs from Enterprise Inns and said he took on the Mill Tavern to see how Punch compared. He said he was disappointed to find that it was “awful” and is upset that all his staff have lost their jobs.

“I wouldn’t take a pub from them again if they were the only pub company in the world,” he added.

Misconceived claim​

Ford & Warren Solicitors, which covers Punch Taverns’ legal cases, said in a letter to Sparrow that his claims would be “vigorously defended”. It said the claim was “both misconceived and ill advised” and a defence would be filed in due course.

A Punch Taverns spokesperson said: “At no point was Mr Sparrow liable for any debts connected to the unpaid gas bill and Punch Taverns has paid the re-connection fees for the site.

“Mr Sparrow had not engaged with the Punch recommended energy broker which is unfortunate as this situation could have been avoided. As a tenant at will Mr Sparrow had no long or medium term liabilities and has now left the site.”

Responding to the Publican’s Morning Advertiser​, Sparrow said: “They can send all the intimidating letters they like but I will see them in court if only to expose the fact that Punch care only about themselves and not their tenants.”