A pub's temporary licensees are dismayed after attractive flower displays were vandalised. Flower beds, tubs, and window boxes have been wrecked and hanging baskets taken.
James Kemp, who took over the World's End in Lowdham with his partner Hayley Rice, six weeks ago, said: "They had been flourishing - window boxes with lots of flowers, the barrels, the hanging baskets, now we haven't got many flowers left at all. Everything's been demolished.
"On Friday one of our bar staff sent us some pictures to say what's gone on here? We've been vandalised. Everything had been pulled out, flower beds had been smashed, they'd dug things up and left soil all over the car park. Why would you do that?
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"The pub was really proud of the flowers. We care about the pub, we care about the way it looks and we are absolutely distraught that the village has lost a pretty looking pub. It's just disgusting.
"Quite rightly the people of Lowdham were proud of the way that pub looked. It was a talking piece. It was known as the place with all the lovely flowers out the front. They have taken the USP off the pub now."
The damage has been reported to pub owners, Marston's, but not the police as it's a "low-level crime." It will cost an estimated £700 for replacements.
"We haven't got replacements yet. We've had them cut down to make them look half decent but it was an absolute mess," said Mr Kemp, who runs the Crown at Southwell but is temporarily standing in at the World's End, in Plough Lane, until permanent tenants are found.
"We'll get it fixed - there's some new bedding plants going in at the end of May and hopefully we'll start to make the pub look great again. Our concern is that we lose a bit of business on the back end of something that was out of our control."
Just after taking over the pub, Mr Kemp had to apologise to customers about being unable to honour Mother's Day bookings which had been made before his arrival and not passed on. The kitchen had been closed for improvements by the brewery but it is hoped that food will be back on the menu soon. "We've got to replace three fridge freezers, walls to paint, all sorts to do," said Mr Kemp.
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