The former tenants of the Grade I listed George Hotel at Chatteris, who accused their landlords of fraud after the business lost money, have failed in a High Court challenge. Vivian Salisbury and his sister-in-law Kay claimed they were duped by an estate manager employed by the giant Inntrepreneur Pub Company (GL) Ltd into taking over the hotel’s lease in December 1991.
The Salisburys alleged that they were given inaccurate information about the pub’s annual turnover of beer and were falsely told the previous tenants were up-to-date with their rent and beer accounts. They claimed that if they had known the truth about the hotel’s trading position they would never have taken over the lease.
However, Deputy High Court judge Nigel Wilkinson QC rejected each of the Salisburys’ claims. He cleared the estate manager of an allegation that he was “a ruthless deceiver”, adding “In no sense was it his aim to sell the lease, or secure its assignment to the Salisburys.”
He also dismissed a claim that Inntrepreneur had tampered with documents to bolster its case, saying “I can see no basis for challenging these figures and I totally reject the suggestion that they have been falsified.”
A possession order was issued against the Salisburys in February this year and they left the hotel in March. They have already been ordered to pay tens of thousands of pounds in back rent and mesne profits to their former landlords.
PLS News 2/6/00
