MP speaks out on threat to evict pub landlords
ALOCAL MP has placed himself in the middle of a dispute between a pub operator and its landlords.
Derek Thomas, MP for St Ives and West Cornwall, has said he wants the operator of the Coldstreamer Inn, in Gulval near Penzance, to reconsider its decision to evict the pub’s current publicans.
Nick and Charlotte Short have run the Coldstreamer Inn since 2017. Their five-year tenancy expires in September but due to “continued poor trading performance”, their operator, Punch Pubs, served an eviction notice to Mr Short and his family, meaning they would have to vacate the premises by April 25.
Despite ongoing discussions being held between both Punch Pubs and the family, Mr Short has spoken out against the eviction notice, arguing that the pub struggled financially as a result of the Covid pandemic and feels they have not had enough time to recover.
However, Punch Pubs has disputed this and said that the company has gone “above and beyond” to help improve trading at the Coldstreamer Inn.
Mr Short said: “We’re the only pub in our village, and we usually operate best during the busy summer period and make enough money to survive over the quiet winter. Before Covid we were a busy, thriving pub, loved by locals and tourists but when Covid hit, we really struggled.
“Not only are we losing our business that we worked so hard to build up, we our losing our home. Our children are settled in at school down the road, and now we have weeks to find a property to rent.”
Since announcing the notice of eviction to their customers via a Facebook post in January, Mr Short and his family have been trying to find ways to encourage Punch Pubs to reconsider its decision. He has now also involved his local MP, Derek Thomas, who has had discussions with the operators about their decision.
Mr Thomas said: “Like most pubs, the majority of the Coldstreamer’s trade comes in the summer months. Punch’s decision will prevent Nick and Charlotte from trading in the busiest months of the year, and recouping their losses after Covid lockdowns hit the hospitality business.
“Public houses like the Coldstreamer play a vital part in the community – that’s why I hold most of my drop-ins in pubs. But a pub needs people to run it, and they need to know that they have the support of their brewery.”
In response, Punch Pubs has said that it has made “generous offers of support” to Mr Short and his family but was left with “no choice” but to end the Short family’s tenancy. The operators have also said they are “always respectful of local community concerns” and have worked to support the Short family and their business.
Lucy Barker, operations director at Punch Pubs & Co, said: “We are aware of the ongoing situation at The Coldstreamer and are always respectful of local community concerns. The pub is an integral part of the Punch portfolio, and we remain in dialogue with our publicans Nick and Charlotte, who we have supported over an extended period of time to help protect their business and improve the trading performance at the Coldstreamer.
“We are also speaking with Derek Thomas MP and are seeking his support in an attempt to reach an amicable resolution.”