A PUB operator has vowed to fight for The Bowling Green in Northwich after his company was ousted.

The pub closed earlier this month after Star Pubs and Bars, the leased pub arm of Heineken UK, found a new operator.

Cornerstone Inns – which runs pubs in Winsford and Middlewich – had been running the pub since November 2015 following a brief closure.

However, the London Road pub has been without a working kitchen all that time.

Damon Horrill, managing director of Cornerstone Inns, said a refurbishment was originally scheduled for March 2016.

He told the Guardian: “March came and went. The goalposts were moved again and again through the year and losses became considerable.

“We agreed to stay put to keep the pub open despite the financial burden.

"By summer it was becoming difficult to walk away – community organisations such as Transition Northwich and Vale Royal Athletics were encouraged to make the pub their home for meetings and the community meeting in the pub was growing.”

Mr Horrill said the refurbishment was rescheduled for March 2017 but he found out a new operator was to run the pub after the work was done.

Mr Horrill praised the landlord, Lee Slatford – who has also been ousted from the pub – and said he will continue to fight for The Bowling Green and believes Star Pubs and Bars may be in breach of new pub legislation that came into effect in 2016.

Mr Horrill said Chris Wright from the Pubs Advisory Service has agreed to take the case on.

The Pubs Advisory Service are experts on pub code and represent tenants’ interests in such disputes, where the new pub code comes into play.

Mr Horrill said: “We hope that Chris can help us to represent our case in such a way that Heineken reconsider their position and allow the landlord, Lee Slatford, and his team the opportunity to continue the good work they’ve put into creating a true community hub.”

A spokesman for Star Pubs and Bars said: “Last summer we looked for a licensee with the relevant experience and commitment to take on the refurbished Bowling Green.

“The temporary operator expressed a verbal interest at the time but did not meet our requirements to allow us to progress their application further.

“In the meantime a number of applicants came forward to take on the pub.

"We took the business decision to appoint a new operator who we think will make a great success of the Bowling Green.”