Landlord faces eviction from popular pub

A WARRINGTON licensee has been ordered to quit his pub – despite turning it round after years of it being a loss-maker.
But Mark Moran, landlord at the Blackburn Arms, on Orford Green is fighting the eviction notice served on him by pub company Enterprise Inns.
He claims he has sunk £120,000 of his life-savings into the pub and has started to show a profit.
The 40-year-old has known the Grade 2 Listed pub since he was a child.
He first went there when he was only nine – to play on a five-a-side football pitch in the pub grounds.
Regulars at the pub have launched an action group, The Friends of the Blackburne Arms – to help father-of-three Mark and his wife, Louise.
They say that after years of being an unfriendly pub which most local people wouldn’t visit because they didn’t feel safe, it is now a cheerful community pub where locals can relax and enjoy themselves in a family atmosphere.
Mark said: “There had been four landlords here over the two years before I took it over.
“It was losing money and had the reputation of being a drugs-den.
“But I remembered it from its glory days and decided to try and make a difference.
“We get decent people in here now. Last year it made a loss of £96,000 but now it is making a profit.
“But we couldn’t have done it without great staff – old and new – who have helped me turn things around.”
Christine Sutherland of the Friends of the Blackburne Arms said: “Over several years the pub has been run by numerous landlords, most of who left a lot to be desired.
“Since Mark and Louise took it over, after a lot of hard work, It is once again a local, friendly community pub with customers of all ages going in.
“People no longer feel threatened or worried about whether things are going to kick off. It is no longer rife with drugs as it once was.
“We recently had a fantastic fun day to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support and raised £1,880 – a fantastic amount for a local pub.
“The next day we learned that Enterprise Inns wanted to evict Mark and Louise to turn it into a gastro pub.”
Deputy leader of Warrington Borough Council Mike Hannon (pictured left) is backing the action group.
He said: “I will do anything I can to help. I have already put in a query under the right to challenge.
“I am certainly going to write a letter support Mark and Louise and their supporters. The pub seems to be looking better than for a long time and always seems pretty busy.”
An Enterprise Spokesperson said the company had no comment to make at this time.