Town pub rebellion
Saturday 11th October 2008, 9:57AM BST.
MORE than 300 pub regulars have threatened to boycott an Irish bar because the family who runs it is facing eviction.
Caroline Kelly, her husband and three young children have just eight weeks to find a new home and job after Lapwing Trading, a company owned by multi-millionaire Tom Scott, decided that they wanted the pub back.
Last month the licensee of the Ha’Penny Bridge Bar at the Weighbridge was suddenly told that their five-year contract was to be terminated early and that they had to be off the premises in November. Speaking from her home above the pub, a tearful Mrs Kelly, who works behind the bar, said: ‘It came totally out of the blue. We thought we must have done something wrong.
Paul Clarke, operations manager of the company Lapwing Trading said he had no comment to make.
• Picture: Caroline Kelly with her family and the regulars at the Weighbridge bar. Picture by Rob Currie (00592770)
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Outrageous. I recently had need for a venue for a crowd of people to get together and approached Mrs Kelly, she was so helpful and everyone in the get together commented at how great the bar itself, bar staff, excellent service and how friendly and welcoming the locals were (and I’m not Irish). I have since visited the bar more frequently and feel that it is probably one of the only bars I’ve visited within the Island where they all make you feel welcome and you can enjoy a traditional pub drink. Shame on those who have decided to end this. The Kelly family have built the trade from nothing and now you want it back. Good luck to the Kelly’s and thanks again. I will also boycott the bar if they do not withdraw their decision.
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Yet another pointless decision to evict the Kellys. The Kellys made the bar in my opinion one of the friendliest on the island. Everyone is made welcome and visitors to Jersey remark on the hospitality of the Kelly family.
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Obviously since the outside patio area has become very popular the profits have grown the lapwing group can see more potential to rip out the insides of this place and make it another trendy over expensive place just like the yacht hotel. All this group can see is making more money by putting in a new manager/ manageress with no family ties. Shame on this company who put money before family, but with the credit crunch soon to hit Jersey they might have a white elephant on their hands good luck to the kelly family they will be much better off out of the employ of the lapwing group, just make sure you get legal help to get the best deal with severance pay
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Surely the contract must have been written to allow termination only under specific circumstances, and to allow for adequate compensation in the event that one party wanted to breach it? If the lawyer who wrote it did his job properly for his clients, the Kellys, there should be recompense?
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thats so harsh why would you do that when they are making lots of money i go to school with one of the girls and she is funny polite and friendly why would they kick a family out like that there bussines is going to die down a lot SO KEEP THE FAMILY there. they not going to get regulars like this family have they will have mabey one or two people a night but never how the people have it now its like one big happy pub family. i Will miss the kelly family
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