Licensees ejected from pub at centre of latest placement furore

Licensee Pauline Parker has contacted The Publican this morning as six staff members of Pubs 2B Inn have turned up to close their pub the Black Horse in Hillfield, North Yorkshire.

The couple claimed they were being treated unfairly by pub company Pubs 2B Inn after being placed through rogue recruitment company Inn-Direct.

This morning the six members of staff including a stocktaker and two locksmiths have turned up to close the pub. Pubs 2B Inn say the licensees can stay living in the pub until Thursday October 12 although they are unable to trade.

Pauline is at the pub on her own as her husband is out and contacted The Publican fearful she would have to deal with all six people on her own. Her two cleaners and a friend from the pub have turned up to help her out.

"They have closed the pub today. They say we have lied to the press and we are not loyal. They are doing this because they knew the villagers wanted to hold a peaceful protest on Thursday.

"We can't stay in the pub as we will not have a key, " she said.

The couple had been given 28 days' notice to leave the pub, with the company claiming they were not committed. They had applied for another job at a private members club when the pub company failed to renovate the bedrooms.

However, they are paid on a percentage of sales and will now miss out on two days' salary.

Eddie McGhee, the director who has been struck off by the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) for his involvement in Inn-direct, was until recently a director of Pubs 2B Inn, which operates out of the same pub as the Lonely Pub Company.

Inn-Direct was wound-up by the DTI at the request of The Publican after it failed to follow through on its promises of training and placement to potential licensees. However, those who have been placed say they, too, are facing major problems.

The Publican has been unable to contact anyone at Pubs 2B Inn for a comment.