Manager tells of shock after buying pub lease for £1

A lucky couple have bought the lease of the pub they were running as managers for just £1.

John Barden and his partner Jayne Anglesea were left flabbergasted after the previous lessee made them the offer for the Bell Inn, in Kingsteignton, Devon.

"I'm not usually left speechless, but I was this time," said John.

The previous lessee, a local businessman looking to retire, was originally looking for £50,000 for the lease.

John and Jayne had worked for him "on and off" for the last 10 years - and run the Bell Inn for the last 18 months.

And when he couldn't find a taker for the lease, he rewarded them for their loyalty with the rock bottom offer.

John added: "It did run through my mind that the offer was too good to be true, but we've run the place for the last year and a half so we know the business."

To add to their good fortune, the couple have also managed to negotiate a £10,000 rent reduction with the pub's landlord Enterprise Inns.

"We showed them our business plan and said we needed a lower rent and after some negotiation they agreed," he said.

"Enterprise get a lot of bad press, but they have been fine to deal with."

The couple will now be paying £32,000 a year in rent and are tied on beer and ciders.

The media attention the story attracted has also boosted business for the pub.

"We've had one of our best weeks, this last week," said John. "Lots of our old regulars who hadn't realised we were back running the pub saw us on TV and have popped in for a drink and to say hello."