A couple were forced to live in a tent away from their kids after being given one week’s notice to move out of a pub.
Gemma Maverick and her husband Nathan had left everything behind to embark on their dream of running The Wellington Pub in mid-May, and re-located into the accommodation provided with three of their children.
The mum said she’s been “crying her eyes out” after her family were slapped with the devastating notice by brewery Marston’s, just ten weeks after taking on the premises in Hale Village.
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They were told to pack their bags because the pub’s takings were low. However, Gemma has put this down to not having a chef, reports Liverpool ECHO.
The couple said they ended up living in a tent at a farmer’s field near Shrewsbury for two days, while the three children who lived with them – aged 11, 13 and 15 – were scattered around various addresses.
Gemma, 39, said: “We gave up a four-bedroom house in Wrexham we rented for a new start and a new life. We have worked our butts off but then were told by the brewery, ‘we’ve got some bad news, you’re being given notice’. We were given a week to clear out of the pub.
“Because we didn’t have a chef, food sales weren’t as good. But the beer sales were fine and we had events booked, including a Tom Jones tribute act and other bands coming in, along with karaoke and bingo. The Wellington is the heart of the village. I’ve been crying my eyes out for days.”
Gemma also said they had received complaints from “two people in the village” about noise issues at the Town Lane pub, locally known as “The Welly”.
While the couple were living in a tent, the three children Jared, 15, Roman, 13, and Willow, 11, were each living at different addresses – two in the Shropshire area and one in Liverpool. The family have now been given emergency accommodation at a Travelodge hotel for a week.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The couple had previously run a music venue in Wrexham and said they also had experience running pubs.
A spokesperson for Marston’s said: “We are disappointed it didn’t work out for the previous licensees at the Wellington. It is a popular pub and unfortunately it was not performing at the level we would expect and that it has traded in recent months. It is important for us that the pub reflects the vibrant community it serves.
“We never take these decisions lightly. However, in this instance it is the right decision for the Hale community and for us as the pub’s owners. We agreed for the previous licensees to store their belongings and car on site whilst they secure new accommodation.”
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