Bailiffs demand cash over old pub debt

By Matt Eley Matt

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Money

A licensee is furious with his council after bailiffs demanded payment from the evening's takings for an eight-year old debt racked up by the pub's...

A licensee is furious with his council after bailiffs demanded payment from the evening's takings for an eight-year old debt racked up by the pub's previous owner.

Tom Helliwell, who runs the Woodman in Highgate, North London, was forced to shell out £705 despite the council tax bill for the pub's accommodation being racked up by a previous landlord back in 2001.

Staff handed the money to debt collectors after they threatened to walk off with the pub's tills.

Helliwell who was on holiday in Greece when the debt collectors turned up last month, had written to the council to warn officers about the mix-up.

"When I first received the letter from the bailiffs I sent it back to the council saying this was nothing to do with me because I only came here in 2007," he said.

"The average occupation for any pub is two years. This is like going to a random flat eight years later and saying to the occupants 'We are here to take your money' even though it is not their fault."

Helliwell bought the lease from Scottish and Newcastle Pub Enterprises (S&NPE) in 2007 and he believes Haringey Council should be chasing them.

A court order demanding payment was first sent to S&NPE back in 2001 but when the council did not received a reply, the matter was put on the back burner for years.

A S&NPE spokeswoman said the company have not received any communication from Haringey regarding the old debt.

A spokeswoman said: "Once we found out about their plan of action, we did all that we could to prevent this from happening but the bailiff was still sent and money was taken."

Related topics Professional Services & Utilities

Property of the week

Follow us

Pub Trade Guides

View more