A Leeds landlord booted from his pub says he will be moving across the street and vows to “put a spanner in the works” of the new owner’s plans.
David Holmes, 31, his partner Melanie Robinson, 33, and their three children, were told to leave The Sportsman Inn in Morley by Admiral Taverns. The pub group is in the process of selling the property and the land and David is worried the new buyers will bulldoze the pub and use the land to develop homes and flats.
He’s vowed to put a stop to that and is moving with his family across the road on Hunger Hill to a property opposite the pub, which he owned prior to becoming the landlord in March, 2022, so he can keep an eye on what is going on at the vacant pub.
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Having not received his evacuation notice yet, he aims to move in mid-April when the current tenants of his property have moved out. The 33-year-old says he will be keeping a beady eye from his window at the pub after he’s moved.
David said: “I’ll be looking over it and making sure there’s nothing untoward. To whoever buys it, I’ll put a spanner in the works every single time to save this pub.
“If they think they’re going to be building houses and flats, it’s not going to happen. I’m going to make sure a spanner goes in them works and they can never get planning permission for the property, with how much character it has for Morley.
“I’m going to make sure that everyone in Morley puts a petition against this. I know a lot of people in Morley.”
David pulled his last pint for a customer behind the bar on the night of Saturday, March 4, with a heavy heart. He and Mel had intended to take over the pub permanently, claiming they had their initial offer to buy the pub accepted before Admiral Taverns decided to even put it on the market.
David said: “We’re still really gutted it’s the end of it. It’s a really hard time. We’re still here, and just looking at the bar and people around here aren’t happy. We’re gutted for the people.”
The sorrowful landlord, who also works as a railway maintenance worker, spoke about his loyal customers who have been visiting The Sportsman for more than 30 years and now “have nowhere else” to go. He says the building has a rich history it means a lot to the people of Morley.
David added: “I still want to keep fighting for the pub. It’s not ‘just a pub’. It’s for clubs like Morley Knights - they’ve got nowhere else to go with food served and a beer garden. I don’t make a lot of money out of it.”
Admiral Taverns was asked for further comment and said it is still looking at a “range of offers” but had nothing else to add.
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