A CAERLEON pub is to close its doors due to what the tenants say is “distressing” and “hounding” behaviour from the firm in charge.

The Bell Inn, on Bulmore Road in the town, is one of nearly 3,500 pubs run by ei Publican Partnerships.

Publicans Charlotte Webb and Jo Merrick claim that ei Publican Partnerships have “hounded” them for rent throughout lockdown. However, the firm say that this is not the case.

Originally hired as head chef and pub manager, the pair were approached by ei in 2015 to take over the running of the pub.

“We didn’t have any money saved so we had to borrow money from family for the deposit and for stock of beer and food,” said Ms Webb.

“We built up the trade putting in a gastro menu for humans, and even a doggie menu.

“We have made The Bell our home and we love the community and class all of our locals as dear friends.”

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However, with the onset of coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown, things got thrown into turmoil for pubs up and down the country.

“We were terrified,” said Ms Webb.

“We have been closed for four months.

“It was unknown, but as it happened all across the world, we thought we would gain some help, which we did.”

However, Ms Webb claims that the government grant (£25,000 - based on the pub's rateable value), only covered paying back bills that and what the pair owed to family for the initial support for the business.

In a statement, ei Publican Partnerships said: "To further support those publicans who are entitled to grants of between £10,000 and £25,000, and to enable them to restart their business with confidence and ease cash flow, trade credits of either 75 per cent or 50 per cent of the value of three months’ rent will be provided."

They said that the Bell Inn had been entitled to 50 per cent.

However, Ms Webb claimed that ei Publican Partnerships had “charged us full rent for the entire of lockdown, even though we have been unable to do takeaways or trade in any way due to ill health”.

Ms Webb claims the pair received numerous phone calls from ei during lockdown requesting the rent, which meant it would not be financially viable for them to continue.

“We were hounded with phone calls by ei, insisting on rent being paid out of the grant money," she said.

"When we told them we had already used it to pay back family and bills to keep the lights on and heating, they said it would still have to be paid anyway.

“We were very distressed by these calls and slipped into anxiety and depression at the prospect of losing our home.”

Ei Publican Partnership have said that this is not true and categorically deny that rent was demanded during lockdown.

A spokesperson said: “Our approach is founded on being both reasonable and transparent.

“The support packages we are providing across our estate ensure consistency, whilst remaining objective, as well as taking into account the Welsh Government grants of up to £25,000, which were aimed at providing financial relief towards fixed costs, including rent.

“It is vital to us that our pubs and our publicans remain in a position to trade successfully and that is no different at the Bell Inn, Caerleon.

“The rent support and trade credit initiatives are intended to provide our publicans with a strong platform to do so, and to help relieve some of the financial pressure required to restart.”