Pub owner to sue council following year of roadworks

The owner of a pub firm plans to sue a local council after a year of prolonged roadworks outside his Poole site led to two power cuts and a loss of stock and business.

Kris Gumbrell the chief executive of Brewhouse and Kitchen said the work by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP Council) negatively impacted trade at the pub and resulted in two power cuts. He is seeking £8,000 in compensation.

During the roadworks on 31 January 2018 a power line was hit, and the pub lost electricity resulting in a loss of food and drink stock as well as booked trade. It happened again on 5 August 2019. The council compensated him for the second incident but not the first because it happened whilst its contractor Mildren Construction was working at the site.

Speaking to the Bournemouth Echo Gumbrell said: "At some point, somebody's going to have to pay this money back. It's a point of principle."

Frustrated that the council has not offered him a tax rebate, he added: "The council have made more money out of the site in the past 14 months through my paying business rates and Business Improvement District levies than I have."

He has now served notice to sue. A BCP Council spokesperson said: "This matter is subject to ongoing legal procedures and it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage."

Brewhouse and Kitchen was founded by Gumbrell and his business partner Simon Bunn in 2013. The business now has 22 pubs.