Defiant stand at the Globe

When Morrells of Oxford abruptly decided to end the tenancy of landlords Mick and Sue Simmonds at the Globe they found they had a fight on their hands. Previously the annual contract had been regularly renewed after a rent review. This year for no reason, Mick and Sue were given just three weeks to pack their bags. After 15 years at the Globe they were actually planning to retire at the end of next year when their pensions become due. But if they leave now they will have no income and nowhere to live. The regulars at one of Jericho's most important community pubs were shocked. Mick and Sue have not just been landlords they have been performing vital community services - particularly the weekly lunch for up to 30 older people. Sue also takes meals to those too ill to make it to the pub. As John and Jean Radford of Great Clarendon Street say, this is a homely pub where anyone can feel comfortable. They and the other regulars organized a petition to the brewery that gained 600 signatures. On September 3, Mick and Sue were served with an eviction notice. They refused to leave. To remove them, the brewery will now have to go through a long legal process. Meanwhile, Mick and Sue will continue to run the Globe, getting their beer from another brewery. Why the high-handed attitude by the owners? It's all very strange, since they have not presented alternative plans. They could perhaps turn the Globe into a theme pub, or convert it into flats and houses, but probably not as quickly as they thought.