8:58am Saturday 15th November 2008
By Corey Stephenson
A HAMPSHIRE pub has closed down and been abandoned by its managers despite taking bookings and deposits for scores of Christmas dinners.
Enterprise Inns, owners of the Fox and Hounds in Fair Oak, have been forced to reclaim the lease of the pub in Winchester Road after landlord Rob Ide shut the premises without warning.
It is believed dozens of social groups and works Christmas parties could lose out after paying up to £10 a head for their Christmas dinner at the popular watering hole.
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Pub regulars are now struggling to change Christmas dinner plans and have been unable to contact Mr Ide to ask him for their money back.
One customer, who asked not to be named, said: “They have been taking £10 a head for work dos and they never said anything about closing down.”
Sue Hadlow, who runs a regular poker league that meets twice a week at the pub, said they only found out days before the pub closed its doors.
“We had our final night there the day before and the landlord stayed away and never made an appearance.”
The poker team, with dozens of members, has now relocated to the nearby Queen’s Head pub in Fishers Pond.
A member of staff at the Queen’s Head said they have already taken a number of bookings for people who need to rearrange their Christmas event from the Fox and Hounds, but were unable to help get deposits back as they were owned by a different company.
It is believed the pub was facing financial difficulty with the lack of trade due to the credit crunch.
When the Daily Echo telephoned the business the call was met by an answer machine, but it was impossible to leave a message as the machine was full.
Yesterday the Fox and Hounds was empty with a notice from Enterprise Inns saying they had “re-entered” the pub and anyone with any inquiries about the business should contact them.
Licensing chiefs at Eastleigh Council also said they had not been informed of any changes to the pub’s licence.
A spokesman for Enterprise Inns said: “The previous leaseholder has been contacted and he is aware of his responsibilities to pay back the money taken for Christ-mas party deposits.”
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