Devon landladys nightmare as she is left in limbo a YEAR after 17th century pub collapsed amid dispute over who should pay for rebuild
A landlady says she has been through left in limbo for a year after her pub collapsed amid a dispute over who should pay for the rebuild.
A landlady says she has been through left in limbo for a year after her pub collapsed amid a dispute over who should pay for the rebuild.
The Ship Inn at Cockwood, near Dawlish, came crashing to the ground in October last year after the buildings cob wall turned to rubble after a night of heavy rain.
Staff had been getting ready for the Sunday lunchtime rush when the side of the boozer, which employed 20 staff, disintegrated.
No one was hurt but one barman was only feet away and another member of staff, who lived upstairs, saw their belongings spill smash down into the road.
Landlady Heather Brown had hoped to reopen the bars doors by spring this year, but now a dispute over who should pay for the rebuild has left them in stalemate.
She has been living off her savings for a year, and says the chaos has now cost her tens of thousands of pounds.
The whole thing has just been awful, Ms Brown told DevonLive. We went from having a busy, thriving business to nothing and it has cost me tens of thousands of pounds.
The Ship Inn at Cockwood, near Dawlish, came crashing to the ground in October last year after the buildings cob wall turned to rubble after a night of heavy rain
Landlady Heather Brown had hoped to reopen the bars doors by spring this year, but now a dispute over who should pay for the rebuild has left them in stalemate
The building is made from a traditional West Country building material called cob, which is a combination of straw and mud. Pictured: Before the wall collapsed
She added: Weve earned nothing for a year now, its just a massive financial drain.
A gaping hole remains in the side of the 17th Century pub a year after it was first made.
A traditional West Country building material, cob is a combination of straw and mud.
The wall is thought to have collapsed after water built up in a large crack, which destabilised the traditional structure.
The pubs bar area, wine fridges, optics, wine racks and upstairs accommodation were all left in ruins.
Ms Brown, who was landlady for 17 years before the incident, says the insurance company has not yet paid for the repairs and they are at a bit of a stalemate.
But she still wants to rebuild - although she is now unsure whether it will be just the wall or the whole building that needs to be replaced.
The landlady added that it is a sad sight to see the once thriving local hub desolate.
Staff had been getting ready for the Sunday lunchtime rush when the side of the boozer, which employed 20 staff, disintegrated
No one was hurt but one barman was only feet away and another member of staff, who lived upstairs, saw their belongings spill smash down into the road
Shocking photographs showed rubble tumbling into the road - including a television from the flat upstairs.
A Punch Pubs & Co Spokesperson told DevonLive: The Ship remains an important part of the Punch portfolio, and we would like to assure the community that we are still working with our publicans and, whilst this is a complex situation, we remain committed to ensuring The Ship is rebuilt and reopened.
We look forward to updating the community as soon as possible.
MailOnline has contacted Punch Pubs & Co for a comment.
