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Landlord heartbroken to see pub gutted

John Devine
BBC News, Cambridgeshire
Reporting fromWerrington
John Devine/BBC Andy Simmonds, 45, wearing a blue baseball cap, blue body warmer over a blue top with a blue and white chequered shirt underneath. He is standing in front of a corner of the old brick pub with a large pile of debris and rubble to the left, including white porcelain toilets and bricks.John Devine/BBC
Andy Simmonds, 45, was involved with the pub for 22 years and says it was a real "hub of the community"

A landlord has spoken of his sadness at seeing his "cornerstone of the community" pub stripped after it was sold by its owners.

The Ploughman in Werrington, Peterborough, opened in 1982 and for the last 22 years Andy Simmonds, 45, worked there and been the landlord for 17 years before pulling the pub's last pint when it closed for good in January 2024.

The pub won awards through the years and had a number of owners, the last ones being Melbourne Leisure Holdings.

There was a lengthy legal dispute involving Mr Simmonds and the owners which ended in the county court with the owners taking possession of the building and subsequently selling it in October 2024.

Andy Simmonds A group of people stand around a pub bar all raising their glasses as they make a toast.Andy Simmonds
The pub was a real community hub according to Mr Simmonds - hosting many local events like parties and wakes as well as live entertainment

Mr Simmonds said it was "painful and upsetting" to watch his former workplace being taken apart.

"It seems like the heart is being ripped out of Werrington to see this place that holds such special memories disappear," he said.

"We had some glorious times being the hub of live music in Werrington. We raised over £17,000 for Papworth Hospital and helped local schools with fundraising and charity nights."

The Campaign for Real Ale pubs organisation described it has having been a "thriving community free house serving up to six real ales... well established on the local entertainment scene".

John Devine/BBC The inside of a former pub with flooring, ceiling and walls removed, lots of electrical wires hanging from what looks like steel supports vertical and horizontal.John Devine/BBC
The inside of the former pub has been completely stripped and according to Mr Simmonds is due to become retail outlets

Mr Simmonds believed the old building's new owner wanted to turn it into retail outlets.

He said the pub had several owners over the years but the last ones, Melbourne Leisure Holdings had an ongoing legal dispute with him over arrears amounting to a six-figure sum.

Mr Simmonds said he disputed their findings and a service charge was introduced by Melbourne that had not been made by any of the previous owners.

John Devine/BBC Single story building, opened in 1982 as a pub, it has dark roof tiles and reddish brickwork, there is a metal pub signpost outside, with no sign and road markings on a reddish block paved roadway in the foregroundJohn Devine/BBC
The former Ploughman building is at the main entrance to the Werrington Centre area of shops and will be a big loss to the community, according to Mr Simmonds

A spokesperson for Melbourne Leisure Holdings said: "A county court order was obtained on 5th July for possession of the premises following many years of legal action for unpaid rent, service charges and insurance, with arrears amounting to a six-figure sum."

The firm went on to say it was shocked and appalled at the state of the premises when it went back in after its closure.

The former pub was "subsequently placed on the market with the hope of finding a strong occupier... to enable the building to fulfil its potential and provide benefit to the wider Werrington community".

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