Time looks to have been called on an embattled pub landlord.

Harry Purewal has been running The Crown pub in St Michael’s, near Tenterden, on a series of temporary events notices after his guarantors surrendered the premises licence in January.

The move by Ian Halliday and David Warner, who were the pub’s previous tenants, was in a bid to force Mr Purewal to quit as the pair are picking up the tab for unpaid rent.

However, Mr Purewal has now been issued with the maximum number of temporary events notices allowed in a year by Ashford Borough Council and it means he will no longer be able to pull pints for punters.

In the meantime Mr Halliday and Mr Warner have applied for a new premise licence for The Crown in Ashford Road.

Stephen Piper of independent financial adviser Homecroft Wealth was appointed as an intermediary in a bid to sort out the finances. He said: “It’s a real mess and everyone just wants Harry to go, including the locals. The Crown is not the cheery, happy pub that it used to be.”

A debt of more than £27,000 has been accumulated, with money owed to the business partners and agent Criterion Asset Management, which is acting on behalf of owner, the Wellington Pub Company.

Mr Piper said: “The partners gave Mr Purewal every chance to pay the arrears over time but he did not and they even offered to let him stay over the Christmas period and keep the trade, but he refused to leave.

“If he had left the pub voluntarily it would still be fully open for the people of St Michael’s.”

Mr Piper added: “Harry has exhausted all his temporary licences and I don’t know if he’s just staying at the pub out of spite.”

A council spokesman said: “As of 28th February 2017, The Crown Pub would have used the maximum number of Temporary Events Notice days (21) permitted for one calendar year.

“Once the limit has been reached, no further events containing regulated activities will be authorised under the Licensing Act using the Temporary Events Notice process.
“The council is aware of the situation at the pub and is monitoring it accordingly.”

Mr Purewal has not yet responded to requests by the Kentish Express for a comment.