A COUPLE are sitting tight despite bailiffs clearing out their pub.

John and Michelle Amesbury were shocked when bailiffs turned up at the door of The George Hotel, on Church Street, Wedmore, with instructions to seize saleable items.

John and Michelle say they owe £634 in back rent – money they were withholding because they say pub owners Admiral Taverns had failed to comply with the conditions of their lease and repair the building.

They say the George, a Grade II-listed building, has serious structural problems and damp.

But they also got short-term loans from the brewery and owed them money for beer.

The couple say they have been fighting with Admiral Taverns to get the building repaired for two years.

John, aged 38, his wife, 42, and her youngest son Bobby, 22, had no notice bailiffs were coming.

They were told to pay about £6,000 of the total money owed or the premises would be stripped of all work-related items.

Within hours the pub's dining room had been stripped bare of furniture, stock had been taken and kitchen equipment loaded into removal trucks.

John said the bailiffs had effectively shut the business: "We were under the impression they couldn't take anything without a court order, but apparently there's a loophole.

"There's a clause somewhere saying they can take anything they want out of the property, which is what they have done, and we can't trade any more.

"Our personal items they can't touch."

Michelle, who invested £250,000 in the George two-and-a-half years ago, said: "Its been absolutely horrendous.

"But everyone here in the village has been supportive. It's reduced me to tears on many occasions.

"Admiral has done the dirty on us in the hope it can get a new landlord in on a new lease, so it won't have to foot the bill to repair the building."

A spokesman for Admiral Taverns said: "After a number of months requesting payment of unpaid bills, we have taken the step of calling in the bailiffs.

"This was very much a last resort and comes after numerous attempts to resolve the situation and agree payment of the amount outstanding.

"We hope that this matter can now be brought to a successful conclusion and the pub reopened at the earliest opportunity."

"At no point in the discussions with the landlord about the rent arrears was the non-repair of the building given as a reason for withholding the money. There were also issues with breach of lease for buying out of tie."

The spokesman admitted that Admiral had a responsibility to repair the building.

He said: "Work needs to be done and will be done in due course."