THE landlord who has run a popular pub for the past 14 years faces being ousted.

Ben Manners says locals are “gutted” at the prospect of him leaving Penn Central in Poole.

He said he had an opportunity to sign a new lease at the start of the pandemic but turned it down because he would have had to produce a forecast of the next two years’ sales. “I said I can’t predict sales when we’re locked down,” he said.

He ended up on a monthly lease but has been told by the Heineken-owned Star Pubs & Bars to leave in January.

“The whole community are gutted. All the shops at Penn Hill are upset about it,” he said.

“They’re just appalled at the fact that I’m going and if no one else signs, pub is going to be boarded up.”

He said he would have faced a rent increase from £39,000 a year to £65,000 if he had stayed on the pub’s company’s terms. He would also have had to contribute upwards of £100,000 to a refurbishment, despite having spent £40,000 on the premises in lockdown, he said. 

He said he spends £3,000-£4,000 on the company’s beers.

“The pub will end up boarded up unless someone signs that new deal,” he said.

“They see it as better for their estate. I’m a small little dot in their map.

“They’re not seeing me as a local of Penn Hill. I’ve lived here 40 years and I know all the people in the area.”

The pub company is advertising the business at an annual rent of £62,700 with total “ingoing costs” of at least £109,631.

It puts estimated annual turnover at £641,942, but Mr Manners said this was “very optimistic”.

A statement from a Star Pubs & Bars’ spokesperson said: “Penn Café Bar in Poole is leased to an independent licensee on a temporary contract which expires in January 2022. He has always been aware of our plans to find a permanent licensee.

“We want our pubs to thrive but currently Penn Cafe Bar is tired and in need of investment in order to turn it into a fantastic pub the community can be proud of. It is in an area which has recently seen significant improvement, so we have taken the decision to invest around £300,000 in Penn Cafe Bar to help it achieve its full potential. As part of this, we are also seeking experienced operators who can work with us to help this pub thrive and be sustainable in the long term.”