31/12/2017
Before your read what I have to say below...... Before you do that look at the picture above - remember what it was really like..... Then after you digest what I have said ----- do me the honour of looking at it again - as at this moment in time - I'm heartbroken that some people try to destroy that I hold dear.
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I have seemingly upset a Four Candles Micropub owner........Mike Beaumont.....
My understanding from Rockin Robin is they weren't really aware of what they were involving themselves in....
These are my final words on the subject. I can hear some of you say - Don't do it chica - but I can assure you - these are my final words.... and so I think on this occasion forgive me - Let me have my final say in defense of a business we all worked hard at.
This is the first time I have ever run my own business.
This is the first time I have ever closed a business.
I have a lot of followers.
I have a lot of supporters
I have picked up a few enemies along the way.
All of which are acutely aware I wear my heart on my sleeve.
I have no agenda.... I am what I am - like me or loathe me - these are the facts.
Fact..... The Landlords have forced us to close. My Landlord is a lovely lovely guy and I have always got on very well with him. For reasons unknown to me around a year ago he handed his business dealings if you like to his son James..... who - isn't my cup of tea and this is where it all went wrong. James is a 30 something newly qualified lawyer.....
They attempted to dictate the products I sold under a permitted use clause.
They upped the rent without going through the contracted review period.
This has been debated over a short period of time through lawyers.
I had no choice but to engage a lawyer....
I believe and lawyer believe - it was clear they had an agenda.... Why else lose a valued tenant - who, always but always paid the rent - Who, had been paying way above market value ( confirmed by agents ) and who looked after the place with pride......
This was all subject to going through lawyers..... so the experience was like awaiting a pending phone call all the time. It seemed to go on forever - in reality it should take for ever but hasnt in our case.
Officially, the lease wasn't over until August 2018 - so negotiations and deals had to be struck......
Yes - Im unhappy about it - the Rack was supposed to be my pension pot..... It had been valued professionally to sell prior to all this landlord issue arising- Everybody knows my plan is to move away..... To me - I have worked hard - was stopped from selling - I've lost thousands. I've had to come to terms with this.
With but a weeks notice - and when the deal had been done - we announced closure..... by pure chance and opportunity I took on a temp full time job..... and in between illness , working etc..... we left on the high we all wanted.....
Lots of tears - Lots of Stress - Lots of Physical and mental pain followed. We are still not over that element.
Of course there would be a few outstanding payments..... Of course I contacted prior too and after..... But the fact is - and I have had to learn fast - Closing the business financially takes time. We had to be made aware for instance - what the final bill would be from the landlords....... and this isn't as straight forward as you may think...... it doesn't happen quickly....
There are inspections - re inspections - making good and all the little bits in between.
We closed the Friday before Christmas - the re inspection did not occur until after Christmas - Legally it had to be signed off....
Then and only then can the final tally up take place.... and What happened?????? one £ 106 nasty piece of work from the Four Candles Micropub has made it his absolute mission to discredit me - encouraged all the way somebody who once told a shared friend the mission was to run me out of town.They have not succeeded. Of course - it's financially year end for some - and so, when a business ceases to trade - they may feel a bit twitchy - they may feel you've gone under - or you're not going to pay.
Apart from this one man - I haven't had that problem - quite the contrary in fact.
This man has been fed to bursting with all the history about my historical financial troubles - but he is out of date - I went through all that well over 2 - 3 yrs ago......
When the VAT kicked in. remember?
When the VAT kicked in - on my own and just into January I had to pay a large sum of money to the IR.....
That came out of the till.... So then business stops being romantic - and starts being tougher.... At this time all the other micros started to open up - my trade at that time took a temporary down turn...... The business struggled financially...... 4mths later another VAT bill but this time money was set aside..
You learn by mistake.
I successfully got through that dip I continued my working relationships with most of those suppliers I had trouble paying back then.... and I successfully continued to operate until now,,,,, Its business - and some clearly need to learn - in business you will go through good times and bad.... That was then - this is now.....
But lets be crystal clear about this closure...
Its my choice - Its my choice NOT TO AGREE TO PAY INCREASED RENT with staffing costs ( because as you know - I do this alone ) it would not be viable.....
This is business - We are less than a week from handing keys back........All the Rack is in storage whilst we take time out to consider our options on starting up again.. I miss Simon Glover. I miss Joyce and I miss all of my customers even the quirky ones I didn't think I would miss quite so much.
Now - this MIke - I didn't know who he was until I was informed by Cullins Yard he had called them twice chasing me for debt as we were working on the closure....
He has never called or communicated me - I always dealt with a chap called Stig.
Friday we hand the keys in - Saturday on our first social day out with friends the bloody Dover Express Call wanting my comments on a Dover Micropub and one from Broadstairs accusing me of closing due to owing money to suppliers..... you have read my comments on Rockin Robin..... they have been asked to withdraw their support to this witch hunt.
Last night I had a call from another brewery I have a final statement on..... ( I now have 3 to pay )
They wanted to offer me support - they had met this guy at the hop festival and took a dislike to him there..... So it would seem he has a role in life to play.
His £ 106 shall be honoured last now.......
He over stepped the mark by contacting essentially my partners friend to embarrass me - but what he actually achieved was embarrassing Mo - the kindest and most unassuming man and I love him dearly, and that , ladies and gentleman I will not tolerate.
During the Racks short years I have seperated from a man I loved dearly - got stung by the Port of Call - the VAT kicked in I watched my brother die and more recently I watched my mother die....... Ive now had to part with another extremely important factor in my life......
Thats enough now - As Mo and I enter into 2018 with all of you at our sides.....
Please - do not engage with these people over matters mentioned above.... Do not mention the Rack this way - Do not rise to this awful awful heartbreaking pop at me.. They know nothing about me - but you do.
At the end of the day - it was only a little shop...... but I am still here in Dover...... I want to be remembered for the good times.
You know I am anything but perfect..... and oh slightly over weight ..... I'm tired ..... my hair needs doing most of the time.... I;m fifty bloody two ( or three ? ) and I love Brussel Sprouts far to much.
You know I always find my way in the end
You know I am honourable and kind - It is hard not to care about all this negativity.
You know this has been extremely hard thing to do.
In one week - once I have worked out how to download the photos - I will close all Rack pages......
Regards
Trish
and Happy New Year
2018 is going to be my year and its going to be Mo's year.......
Thank you for listening.......
Now - take another look at that photo - It brings warm feelings into you.
