WE will not be moved.

Those are the words of a Hampshire couple who say they are being kicked out of their historic pub after a row between them and pub giant Enterprise Inns.

Sallie and Paul Adams, who run the Fluer De Lys pub in Pilley in the New Forest, have told how they were ordered to pack their bags after they were unable to pay the rent.

However the couple are defiant and say they will stay as they believe the reason they have been left out of pocket is down to Enterprise Inns making them pay for repairs that they should have carried out.

The Fleur De Lys is believed to be the oldest pub in the New Forest, and dates back to the 12th century.

When Sallie and Paul purchased it back in spring 2013, the Grade II listed building needed a range of repairs. These included a leaky thatch, which has water seeping through, mould and interiors that were unpainted.

They also say that Enterprise are making them pay rent for the upstairs area which is ‘condemned’ and deemed uninhabitable as it does not have a fire exit or any smoke alarms – which they say Enterprise knew about but did not tell them.

Ultimately the couple believe that this has cost them thousands of pounds, which has seen them fall behind on their rent and they are angry that Enterprise wants to kick them out by February 24, and are seeking a new publican to run the pub.

Sallie said: “They will have to drag us out of this pub kicking and screaming. This pub means everything to us we are not going anywhere.”

“I wish they gave us more time to get things in order because it is their fault that we missed payments. If we had three months to get things sorted then we would be able to pay back the rent.

She added: “They should have been upfront about the state of this place and more caring about the publicans. We have done so much work to put this place right and we want to continue to do this work.”

Residents in the village gathered to support the pub .

Among them was Janet Corbin, 71, from Pilley, who said: “People in the village are behind the landlords. They have done a great job and have worked very hard and it is a very sad situation.”

Paul and Sallie Adams say they will be taking legal action against Enterprise Inns and they said they will live in the pub if necessary as squatters.

A statement from Enterprise Inns said: “We do not discuss the private and confidential dealings between the company and our publicans, however we are working very hard to clarify matters as soon as possible.”