A COUNCILLOR has launched an astonishing Facebook tirade against a pub landlord who had him barred, including the wish: “May he die of a heart attack.”

Bournemouth councillor Douglas Spencer – who was last year branded ‘unfit’ to hold office after a Conservative Party inquiry – posted a string of abusive messages about the licensee of the town’s Baker’s Arms pub.

The comments came after Cllr Spencer was barred from the Baker’s Arms in Commercial Road last Saturday following a run-in with landlord Steve Cooke.

In one of his messages, Cllr Spencer wrote: “The Baker’s Arms is the most miserable pub in Bournemouth. Thank God for the staff – they hate him but do a good job.

“May he die of a heart attack if he had one – he is fat enough.”

Another, referring to the fact that Mr Cooke and his partner spent several years in South Africa, said: “None of us will be in your pub. You want to go bust and go back to Africa” and ended: “Go and die.”

Other jibes included: “Die Baker’s Arms, let a professional take over” and “The landlord encapsulates all that is dead in the gay scene”.

Another states - wrongly - that Mr Cooke "does not and will not have a licence".

Cllr Spencer repeatedly branded Mr Cooke a “thief” after putting money into a fruit machine which the landlord then switched off.

Mr Cooke, who has run the business with partner Mike Adams since 2009, describes it as an ‘attitude-free pub’.

“I never get trouble here,” said the landlord, responding after the Daily Echo was made aware of the Facebook attack.

He said Saturday’s problems started when he attempted to ask Cllr Spencer about a commercial waste bin that was blocking the back door of the pub.

He claimed he switched off the fruit machine because Cllr Spencer refused to answer him. Mr Cooke said he then barred the councillor and called the police over Cllr Spencer’s subsequent behaviour.

Cllr Spencer told the Daily Echo he ‘wouldn’t dream of talking about’ what was on his Facebook page and was not aware it could be viewed publicly.

He said he had no knowledge of being barred from the pub and denied claims that he had threatened to have the pub’s licence taken away. “I wouldn’t have been able to do a thing like that. I’m only a humble back-bencher now,” he said.

His Facebook privacy settings were changed shortly after the Echo spoke to him.

Dorset Police confirmed they had been called at 6.20pm on Saturday about claims that a man was being a nuisance at the Baker’s Arms.

Councillor Spencer

DOUGLAS Spencer, who represents Winton East, was previously the cabinet member for housing on Conservative-controlled Bournemouth council and chairman of Bournemouth West Conservative Association.

But the national party investigated him last year and recommended he be suspended for ‘more than a year’.

The party said the investigation was linked with the case of another Tory councillor, Richard Powell, who had admitted forwarding racist jokes by text messages.

A statement after the investigation said Cll Spencer was ‘unfit to hold public or private office’.

Cllr Spencer said he had resigned from the party after 49 years’ membership before the suspension was announced.

He blamed last year’s episode on his disagreements with Bournemouth West MP Conor Burns.