Wombourne landlords claim they were sacked from pub after locals started petition over sale of food
A couple claim they have been sacked from running a pub in a row over food sales – just three months after they took over.
Paul and Michelle Hannon claim they were given less than 24 hours to leave the Old Bush Pub in Wombourne by owners Marston's.
The couple vacated the pub where they also lived yesterday at 9am. They said the notice was on the basis food sales were not doing well enough.
But they say drink sales were up on before they joined, and they had tried their best to sale food, despite a petition launched by locals for it to stop selling meals.
Mr Hannon, who had run The Village Inn in Wednesbury before moving to Wombourne, said: "We were there for three months and we have done everything possible to improve food sales at the pub.
"But it is not a food pub."
Last month, a petition was launched by pub local Hayley Hall over the sale of food.
In a statement on the petition site change.org Ms Hall said: “The demise of the old-style pub has been for several reasons, one of which being the insistence of pub companies forcing retail formats on managers and customers that nobody wants in the name of progress and competition. Well, Marston’s you have got this one all wrong! Leave the Old Bush alone! Let the drinkers rule.
“Paul and Shell are working hard to increase revenue in the short time they have been there. They don’t need a food menu to do it.”
The petition amassed 109 signatures.
A Marston’s spokesman confirmed the pub was now being run by new licensees.
The spokesman said: “We can confirm new licensees went into the pub yesterday.
“The original licensees Michelle and Paul left on Thursday. It is business as usual today with new licensees.”
