Spencer Slater, who operates the White Lion pub, in Matlock, said he has waited for help with a wood deterioration problem in the venue’s windows and doors since 2016.
Bare woodwork and holes under doors have left the pub susceptible to weather conditions and pests.
The pubco informed the operator the earliest it intended to carry out the work would be during the January 2019 to March 2019 period.
Fears that a bitter winter would cause severe damage to the joinery were raised by the pub licensee. He is also concerned the longer the fittings are left untreated, the more expensive they will be to replace.
Rotten wood
Some work to get rid of pests has been carried out after a visit from the group’s property
surveyor. However, Slater said much more needs to be done to protect the pub.
He explained: “The brewery has done some work on the doors – fitting new door threshold strips and pest strips on all main entrance doors – and has repaired a metal gauze in the rear cellar as well as pest proofing the cellar door with a strip.
“It is, however, still adamant that the decoration can not be completed, if approved, until next quarter in the new year. Our solicitor has written to Marston’s regarding breach of covenant in our agreement to maintain external decoration.
“The issue with 'redecoration' is that there are widespread areas of rotten wood and it may not be possible.”
Pest ingress
A spokesperson for Marston’s said: “We are working with the tenant to resolve these concerns.”
Evidence of pest ingress meant the pub was once awarded a lower two-star rating from a food standards agency visit, Slater said.
The pub received a four-star rating in its most recent food hygiene review in July 2018, with the standards agency citing ‘generally satisfactory’ management of food safety and ‘good’ cleanliness and condition of facilities.
