Carl Francis-Pester: Pub closure landlord's councillor run 'ludicrous'

A decision by a businessman whose firm owes thousands to staff and suppliers to stand in the local elections has been described as "ludicrous".

Carl Francis-Pester is standing for the Conservative Party in Blagdon and Churchill in North Somerset.

But Mr Francis-Pester recently closed a village pub with his firm owing thousands of pounds to suppliers and former employees.

Mr Francis-Pester has denied or disputed all the allegations.

The pub in question is the Seymour Arms in Blagdon.

One former staff member had to go an employment tribunal to try and recoup more than £2,000 pounds, money he says he still hasn't received.

Mr Francis-Pester told the BBC all staff had been paid, and that he wasn't aware he owed money to suppliers. He added he's not liable for debt owed by his company.

The pub has since been taken over. It's new co-owners claim they've been constantly chased for unpaid bills.

Co-owner James said: "It's been very difficult, the whole place had been completely stripped out, but the main problem is the unpaid bills. We've had people showing up demanding money.

"Our energy costs are massive because clearly firms are wary. It's come back on us rather than the previous owner."

After four months of wading through final bill warnings and bailiff visits, he says they have just about managed deal with the bureaucracy.

On the fact that Mr Francis-Pester is now standing as a local council candidate, James said: "I was completely shocked ... It blows my mind."

Mr Francis-Pester said all the equipment and furniture in the pub belonged to him.

Just down the road from the pub, the local village Butchers has a "closed" sign in the door. It was run by Luke Hassel, from Story Farms.

He said Mr Francis-Pester company owes him more than £1,000 for meat he had supplied to the pub. Unfortunately, because of this and other customers owing money, he said the shop has had to close.

On Mr Francis-Pesters' quest for election, Mr Hassel said: "It's actually ludicrous, and quite disgusting he has the neck to do this."

In a statement Mr Francis-Pester disputed the amount owed to Mr Hassell and said there were "anomalies in the pricing".

Mr Francis-Pester has been involved with the North Somerset Conservative Party for several years. He's recently also been a Town Councillor in nearby Clevedon.

Earlier this year an investigation by a North Somerset Council standard committee into claims of unauthorised payments found he had breached the Clevedon Town Council code of conduct. He was subsequently banned from sitting on any council committees.

Mr Francis-Pester described this ruling as "a politically motivated action by Labour councillors" and that "I feel I have been fully exonerated".

He claimed the ruling would likely proceed to a judicial review.

Mr Francis-Pester said he had been through a rigorous selection review and the Weston-Super-Mare Conservative Party who selected him said "all procedures have been rigorously followed" and described the claims as a "witch hunt."

Phillip Smith, the chair of Blagdon Parish Council, wrote a letter to Clevedon Town Council expressing concerns over the conduct of Mr Francis-Pester.

"Councillors should be held to a higher standard. They have to make decisions for you," he said.

"You have to have a trust in them. You don't just pick everything up and just walk away, and then everybody else pick up the pieces."

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