Publican’s daughter recoups stolen £3.4k takings
Anneliese Smith’s father has not been working for 19 months, which has including spending some time in hospital, but she has continued to run her family's pub – the Prince of Wales in Southampton – that has been in their hands for 40 years.
However, leaving the pub unoccupied, Anneliese felt obligated to store the takings in her flat but on 7 February, Annelise went home to find the pub takings stolen.
A Hampshire Police said they were called to the address following a report of a burglary between 2pm and 10pm that evening.
A police spokesperson said: “The victim reported a cash tin, containing money, was stolen from the address.”
Keep us afloat
Anneliese posted on the Prince of Wales Facebook page: “Running a small pub in a poorer location and managing to keep the pub open has been a massive struggle and money worry for months, which has caused my own personal health to suffer.
“Now, to lose all of the money the pub had to keep us afloat will mean the pub is closing, and my now disabled dad will have no home.”
“£3,420 cash was taken from my flat, which is literally all the money I’ve been saving to pay his electric, rent and beer bill.”
However, a recent turn of events has seen Anneliese’s GoFundMe page recover her father’s stolen pub takings and rid of any threat of losing their beloved pub, which is also their home.
With the support and donations of her father’s customers, her campaign has raised £3,321 at the time of writing, putting them “back on track”.
She added: “It’s given me more motivation to make the pub succeed because it has shown me how many people love the pub and how much it means to them.”
Being repaid
Anneliese explained a lot of the people who donated were from her dad’s past, during his 40 years as a licensee.
“If someone doesn't have the money on them that day, he’ll get them a drink.
“But I thought you can’t run a business when you’re giving away your drinks so that’s why he’s not made much profit from it.
“But that’s what the customers say: he’s a generous person, he’s not just interested in making money.
“He’s always been generous so it’s so nice that its being repaid.”
Hampshire Police said enquiries are still ongoing and anyone with information can call 101 quoting reference 44200048613.
