Dog Responsible For Pub Closure

[j]

This is a follow up story to one earlier in the week, which I will post next

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/pub-patrons-blame-dog-for-braidwood-tenancy-dispute-20120704-21ht7.html

Pub patrons blame dog for Braidwood tenancy dispute John Thistleton

July 5, 2012

Some patrons of Braidwood's Royal Mail Hotel have little sympathy for the former manager and her husband and their dog who have been left without power after a tenancy dispute.

They say it was Maloo, the one-year-old great dane, that caused much of the unrest at the hotel, which has stopped trading.

Townsfolk say problems became well known in the wider community, which is why the Sydney family cannot find alternative accommodation in the tourist village east of Canberra.

But Kelly, the manager for eight months of the main street pub which is awaiting re-opening with a new licensee, says Maloo has never interfered with drinkers.

The Canberra Times reported yesterday that the licensee had gone broke and given Kelly and her husband Tony seven days to vacate the premises.

They say they are entitled to more time to find alternative accommodation and that cutting off the power is in breach of tenancy regulations. The couple did not want to give their surname, and others in the community are reluctant to speak on the record.

One resident wrote: '' … the four years I have lived there I have never seen so much trouble at this pub. They let their dog have free run of the pub, jumping on patrons - more often than not they were the ones causing trouble - when patrons complained to them about the dog they got banned from the pub.

''Hard done by - I [don't] think so.''

Other residents said it was a pity the pub closed because it was one of only two left in a town which, in the gold rush days, had up to 25 pubs.

Kelly said the family was within its rights to allow Maloo in the public bar. He was kept upstairs when meals were served and often used for security at closing time.

''He's a big dog and people here have a problem with a dog unless it is a pig dog or a kelpie. Maloo doesn't interfere with patrons. That's just ludicrous. Tourists here love Maloo. He's on Facebook.''

She said her husband Tony was within his rights to support her in the running of the premises when patrons became unruly.

She said they had clashed with real estate agents in Braidwood after being told they would not be offered rental accommodation because of Maloo and trouble at the hotel.

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/pub-patrons-blame-dog-for-braidwood-tenancy-dispute-20120704-21ht7.html#ixzz1zhXjkQ5P

[j]

Previous story

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/couple-refuse-to-call-time-at-braidwood-pub-20120703-21fqe.html

A Braidwood family left homeless after the pub they were running suddenly stopped trading have refused to leave until they can find alternative accommodation.

As husband Tony and great dane Maloo stood by her side on the wrought-iron balcony of the Royal Mail Hotel, wife Kelly shouted down to the pavement below: ''It's been the crappiest 10 days of my life.''

The Sydney couple, embroiled in a dispute with the licensee, won't give their surname, but will stand their ground after being given seven days to leave.

Advertisement: Story continues below ''If you're going to write an article, tell them they cut the power off 10 days ago and it's freezing,'' Tony said.

Kelly said: ''We went to the tribunal and they said they had to put the power back on. They can get fined, but they don't care.''

Hotel owner Kevin Cooney, of Wollongong, said he was aware of a dispute between the licensee and his staff, but was vague on details of the power being cut.

He said he did not have contact details for the licensee. He said contracts were about to be exchanged that would enable the village's second pub to re-open soon.

Kelly and Tony and their daughter Lily came to Braidwood from Sydney. Tony found work in the construction industry in Canberra, Kelly began working at the pub and was asked to manage it when the previous manager walked out.

Kelly said for eight months she had managed the place without a break, except for a rushed trip to the Canberra Hospital on New Year's Eve after being cut by glass when a drunken patron smashed a window.

The Sydney couple say no one in the town will rent out a house to them, because of their great dane and having a child.

Kelly said the licensee had told them he had gone broke and added: ''I need you out in seven days.''

Kelly sent Lily to live with Kelly's mother and has remained behind in search of a new place to live.

She and Tony say rent was deducted from Kelly's salary and legally they had 90 days to stay.

''No landlord can cut off electricity. The owner and the licensee had a dispute, that was news to us,'' Kelly said.

Tony said: ''You can't just up and move in two or three days.''

Kelly said: ''I'm scared. It's spooky up here at night with 17 rooms.''

They said they were fuelling a fire inside with wood scavenged from the roadside.

On Saturday night they called Braidwood police when a group of young people gathered outside the corner pub shouting abuse at them.

''They were angry with me because I 'shut their pub','' Kelly said. ''I had to call the police.''

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/couple-refuse-to-call-time-at-braidwood-pub-20120703-21fqe.html#ixzz1zhYXAGJ3

[nawnim]

Wonder what will happen to the dog. Will it end up at the pound?

[Dame Aussie]

You can't just cut off a tenants electricity, I hope they're following that up.

[mixeduppup]

If I go into a pub, I don't want a great dane jumping on me though...

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

Kelly said the licensee had told them he had gone broke and added: 'I need you out in seven days'.

i think the key bit here is "gone broke"

So the licencee (how come the manager is not the licencee), would not be able to pay the manager either.

So leaving the dog out of the argument - nobody is going to rent to someone who doesn't have a reliable income.

How come the manager couldn't live in the hotel?

And bringing the dog back into the picture...

If the dog was putting off customers - not surprised the hotel was not making enough money to keep the licencee solvent. Though I'd have sacked the manager well before it got that bad. Aren't managers supposed to make more money than they cost?

[Chezy]

they must have been doing something wrong, small towns will help when people are being mistreated , but no1 in this town will help them