Enterprise Inns left with 'little option' over repossession of Way Inn pub

30-Jan-2014 - Last updated on 29-Jan-2014 at 08:40 GMT

Enterprise Inns said it had "no option" to repossess the pub

Enterprise Inns said it was given “little option” but to seek a possession order on the Way Inn in Basingstoke, Hampshire, after licensee and campaigner Peter Bradley failed to pay rent on the premises.

Bradley has been a campaigner for Licensees Supporting Licensees and spoke at the Business, Innovation & Skills select committee investigation into the pubco-tenant relationship.

He also presented a case to the Pubs Independent Conciliation & Arbitration Service (PICA-Service), which he lost against Enterprise.

Twitter comments

Bradley made comments on Twitter as his pub was closing. He said: “They might have my pub but they won’t have my soul.”

Bradley claimed he has invested £1.3m into the Way Inn and was now in talks over taking on a new pub.

Enterprise Inns

A statement from Enterprise said: “Mr Bradley’s persistent failure to pay rent in recent months unfortunately gave us little option other than to seek an order for possession, which was granted by Basingstoke County Court on 13 January.

“We are disappointed this proved necessary but are satisfied we exercised considerable patience and fairness in our attempt to resolve our differences with Mr Bradley without recourse to legal action.

“We are content that we have conducted ourselves in accordance with both the spirit and obligations of our code of practice, a point upheld by the members of PICA-Service when reviewing this matter in July 2013. We are committed to the long-term success of the Way Inn and will be looking to re-open the premises for business as soon as possible.”

When contacted by the PMA, Bradley refused to comment.