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Original poster

I want to make a complaint about a pub landlord

29 replies

lou33 · 18/03/2007 17:04

who also owns the pub. So who do i complain to other than the police? He tried to punch my bf in the face for no reason at all, this isnt the first time he has lost his temper at customers and noone does anything about it. Bf actually wants to know the info as it happened to him, but i figure someone on here will know the answer, tia.

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fryalot · 18/03/2007 17:07

Firstly, is it a freehouse? If so, the only people really to complain to are the police.

If it is affiliated to a brewery, complain to the brewery. Even if the landlord owns the lease, the brewery will not want their name tarnished and have the power to rescind the lease - so in effect can penalise him.

Obviously, the thing that would hurt him the most is losing money, could you spread the word about what has happened?

He sounds like he shouldn't be working with the public imo. It is a stressful job, but if you can't handle the stress, go and work in mcdonalds.

(no offence to mcdonalds workers intended)

lulumama · 18/03/2007 17:07

is there a proffesional body that landlords can belong to? or the brewery? definitely the police....

crispyduck · 18/03/2007 17:07

What about the brewery, surely he can't behave like that...

fryalot · 18/03/2007 17:08

Sorry, giving you duff information. You can complain to the Licensing section of the local authority.

(things have changed since I was in the business, that's my excuse for not remembering this)

This is a really big thing because the current thinking is that licenses are only issued to people who are basically nice. If he is being abusive, the licensing section can remove his personal license.

whoopsfallenoveragain · 18/03/2007 17:09

Is the pub part of a chain?
We had a lnadlord that was forever doing things like that I even gave evidence in court against him but unfortunatly he 'paid' people to give evidence for him and got away with it more than once it was a whitbread pub too and is only not a landlord now because he retired (afaik)

NutterlyUts · 18/03/2007 17:11

I don't know about a professional body, but Landlords DO have to take a test and gain certification to sell alcohol if that helps?

Original poster
lou33 · 18/03/2007 17:17

i'll give you some background

i was in there on fri night with my bf , we were chatting to others i know and he has got to know through me, then we left our drinks next to theirs to play darts, which is about 5 ft from the bar

the landlord knew they were our drinks bt.

after a few mins we went to grab the drinks but couldnt see them, so i asked the landlord about it, and he said he had thrown them as they had been sitting unattended

when i queried it, and said he knew they were ours he said he wasnt going to discuss it anymore and walked off.

so i am standing at the bar trying to discuss it, no swearing or temper losing, and my bf comes and joins me (he's v laid back and calm)

at this point the landlord walks up to us, starts pointing his finger in my bf's face, shouting at him that he is always trying to cheat him out of money (!), which i think is a reference to the week before, when my bf had a tab which seemed v high, so i asked to check the receipts of the drinks we had (fair enough i think) before he paid. Then he said HE was no longer welcome in hte pub and threw a punch at him! My bf deflected it away with his hand and the landlord ended up smashing a lightbulb instead.

Then the landlords live in gf tried to intervene, by offering us free drinks next time we came back, which we said thank you but no and decided to leave. At this point the landlord came storming round the customer side of the bar to try and provoke my bf into a reaction. Obviously he didnt react and we left, and we wont be going back. I dont know if the landlord was drunk but he had definitely been drinking, and i know he has lost his temper before, throwing a glass at someone, but afaik , noone has ever bothered to do anything.

I still have no idea how it all blew up,and why he reacted to my bf when it was me who was talking to him about the drinks.

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Original poster
lou33 · 18/03/2007 17:19

also i meant to say my bf has written him a letter giving him the chance to apologise, which he should get tomorrow, and mentioning that he is considering making a complaint against him

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fryalot · 18/03/2007 17:22

I think that first of all, you are handling the situation in a very mature and responsible way. If you get some joy from the letter, I would let it go, but don't go in there again (if you've got somewhere to go) If you get no joy from the letter, I would write another one explaining that you intend to write to the licensing section of the local authority detailing your grievances with him. This should work. If it doesn't, write to the licensing board.

lulumama · 18/03/2007 17:27

sounds like you are doing all the right things, but i would not have gone back the following week after an attack !

Original poster
lou33 · 18/03/2007 17:33

no the attack was this fri just gone, i didnt know about the glass throwing episode until after he had tried to hit my bf.

i'd rather not go out than go back there again tbh, it is the only pub locally, as i live in a small village

i hope that when he receives the letter it will make him realise he cant carry on abusing customers, and he will apologise

i still wont go back and my bf is emigrating soon anyway, but he said he will leave it if he apologises in writing to him

it might just shake him up enough to start behaving

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lulumama · 18/03/2007 17:35

hope so lou ! it sounds like he is taking advantage of a captive market by behaving like a violent a*se !

Original poster
lou33 · 18/03/2007 17:38

honestly i dont know what's going on with him, he's banning people willy nilly as well, for no real reason.

i've helped him out a few times free of charge as well in the past, and spent a long time listening to him when he and his wife separated soon after i did with my ex, i've never caused any trouble and neither has my bf

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whoopsfallenoveragain · 18/03/2007 17:48

his initials aren't bb are they?! he sounds just like the landlord at my old pub!

lulumama · 18/03/2007 17:57

do you think the stress and the separation have tipped him over the edge and he needs some help with his paranoia/aggression?

fryalot · 18/03/2007 17:58

lulu - you are just so NICE. ~Everyone else is thinking "what a wanker" and you're thinking of ways to help him. That's lovely

lulumama · 18/03/2007 17:59

LOL! i did also say he was a violent a*se !!

fryalot · 18/03/2007 18:01

I think you are probably right, though. He's probably been tipped over the edge by what's gone on in his life and is taking it out on the people he shouldn't be taking it out on.

It does get very wearing being nice to everyone and sometimes you just want to be HORRIBLE. He's being horrible, but to people who don't deserve it.

Original poster
lou33 · 18/03/2007 18:08

i also forgot to add i was with him one night when he got attacked himself, and had to separate him and the men who were doing it, as well as keeping them at bay for 2 hours while the police and ambulance arrived

i do think he has underlying issues and i have tried to be understanding and tolerant of his increasingly aggressive behaviour.

i have remained sympathetic and tried to stay neutral on everything that has gone on, but there does come a point when enough is enough, and striking out at someone for no reason at all is pretty shocking imo.

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lulumama · 18/03/2007 18:13

i agree his behavour is totally unacceptable, but he needs to learn another outlet for his rage and upset..sounds like you have more than done your bit..

Original poster
lou33 · 18/03/2007 18:19

i agree lulu, which is why i think he needs a wake up call by someone finally complaining about his behaviour in an official manner

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wanderingstar · 18/03/2007 18:36

Tell the police and find a new pub.

Skribble · 19/03/2007 22:32

The first thing to do is make a formal complaint to the police and press charges. You will be taken more seriously if you go on to complain to the likes of the licensing board or publicans professional body.

It is best to make complaints in writing (apart from the police), but do follow up with a phone call to check it is being dealt with and waht their procedures are. When his license is being renewed/ considered they will take a prosecution for assult very seriously.

Original poster
lou33 · 20/03/2007 11:17

there has been no response from him as of yet

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Original poster
lou33 · 26/03/2007 15:13

well he didnt apologise so my bf is taking it a step further and contacting the licensing section of the local council, and the police licensing officer

interestingly enough tho, i got a phone call on friday night, from the daughter of the landlords partner.

she told me i was threatening his business and what did i think i was playing at. I calmly informed her that it wasnt her concern as she wasnt there, and it was between the landlord and my bf. She replied that she was making it her business as it affects her mum, and my bf should " be a man" and "discuss it face to face".

again i told her i wasnt going to discuss it and she was getting quite annoyed, so i told her i was not going to listen anymore and said goodbye.

i'm not sure how he is supposed to discuss it face to face when he is not allowed on the premises, but i found it interesting the landlord wants to get his partners daughter dragged into it (she was calling from the landline at the pub)

how silly

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