RE: Fair Pint founder Dodds to be evicted on Friday

RE: Fair Pint founder Dodds to be evicted on Friday

25 September 2011

I suppose the bailiffs are there now. Gave keys to Scottish & Newcastle yesterday so they wouldn't have to do a forced entry into the shell that I left finally at 4am this morning.

Sincerely many, many, thanks to those who've posted here, it's been very comforting to see your marvellous support, and thanks to everyone who sent messages. It's been a truly humbling experience; and I don't mean a la Rupert Murdoch and I don't have a million quid to offer to charity either.

It's been emotional, there's been a lot of tears, but I have to say that, apart from the very sore back today, I'm utterly relieved, lightened and liberated by the situation. The last time I felt like this was the best part of two decades ago.

As many other people who've been through a version of what I'm experiencing now (being left with no assets, savings, pension, job or home and being made bankrupt) have said on this forum before - once you let go it all becomes a LOT better. Already I can see a future where for the last sixteen years (and I mean it, almost since the first month) I could only see a black end.

Well, that black end is here today, the fear of which led in 2007 to my breakdown during my astonishingly long rent review which ultimately led to this point now, and I can tell you that actually, really and absolutely truthfully it's MUCH better than working like a rat being poked on a wheel seven days a week.

I've been fighting the Spivs, Scammers, Sleight of Hand Merchants and Small Time Hoodlums of the pubco ever since just after I signing my lease - their disrespect and utter neglect begins the moment you sign - well over a decade ago and stepped it up with helping bring together the Fair Pint Campaign.

We closed the pub at the weekend after two fantastic parties and reopened on Tuesday night for a long pre-booked private function - because it seemed churlish that we should turn away people who'd booked far in advance just because I was about to be locked out of the pub three days later.

Never guess who came to tea? Valerie Shawcross; Ken Livingstone; John Healey and Harriet Harman who were all fascinated, interested and appalled to find this was the last time Last Orders would be called at The Sun and Doves. (they didn't subsequently lift a finger anywhere along the legistlation route though).

The timing and findings of the Select Committee's publication which I was able to cite directly that evening to assembled guests and draw into sharp focus the reality of the pub's closure THE LAST NIGHT OF TRADING WAS THE PARTY THEY WERE ATTENDING - was just joyous and ironic and delicious Serendipity in the extreme.

Just re read the Morning Advertiser article in detail, please bear in mind I've been rushing around preparing to exit the place where I live and have done business for 16 years, there was a lot to do.

The S&NPC person says: "We believed that we had reached an amicable settlement plan with the lessee on the terms that he offered at court in June".

They really are a bunch of total idiots. I did not exactly 'offer terms' at all.

I've been arguing since April 2005 that increased rent would kill my business. I know my business, my area of London, and what it can and can't afford and I've always offered S&NPC a completely open look at my accounts so they know there's no posturing or bluffing going on.

My defence in court was that S&NPC had wilfully tried to put me out of business because, in spite of all evidence that any increase would close the business (they even argued that income would GO UP when the smoking ban came in) they simply tried to put me out of business by pursuing as much of an uplift as they thought they could get in their stupid collywaddle traditional pubcodom mumbo jumbo inspired rent review nonsense everyone in this industry adheres to divisible balance and all that.

As all pubcos do SNPC (should point out they are Heineken now) use the dark blue suit 'lick finger and put it in the accredited air method' - guess how much this fly by night thieving scumbag tenant is stashing in their back pocket every year, contrast that with how much cash bonus you'll get if you get the tenant's illegal cash into 'The Business's' (that's what they call the pubco) account then double it. And maybe Treble it for good measure just to keep the tenant in place and so they know who's boss.

If the tenant rolls over and pays the increase it confirms they are thieving scumbags because they can afford it. If they dispute it it means they are conniving scumbags as well as being thieving scumbags and they DESERVE to be ripped off - before they ripped off the pubco.