20 Feb 2025
Disgruntled customers have called for a police investigation into missing money after the unexpected closure of a country pub.
The Holly Bush, in Potters Crouch Lane, suddenly shut its doors in January, raising questions over what has happened to deposits paid for forthcoming events.
Many customers have paid between £500 and £2,000 for weddings at the pub, but have been left uncertain about whether their events will actually go ahead following the departure of landlady Vanessa Williams.
One of those is Hayley Lewis, who said: “I was devastated to hear about the sudden closure of the Holly Bush. We had booked our wedding reception there, and paid a significant deposit, and now, at very short notice, we’ve had to find an alternative venue at extra cost to us.
“This has been an incredibly stressful time for us. I work full-time as a nurse while caring for two young children, one with additional needs, and this unexpected situation has only added to the pressure.
“I would appreciate an explanation from Vanessa regarding the closure and, most importantly, clarity on if and when we will receive our deposit back. So far she has been uncontactable.”
Susie Evershed added: “It’s been really sad to see the number of people impacted by what has happened. And a huge frustration has been the lack of accountability from Fullers or anyone.”
Not even the brewers who leased the pub have been able to contact their former tenant. A spokesperson for Fuller, Smith & Turner said: “We understand how upsetting and frustrating this situation is for those affected. Our former tenant has now surrendered The Holly Bush, and we are aware that she took a small number of deposits for events before closing the doors.
“As with all tenanted pubs, The Holly Bush was run as an independent business, meaning we have no legal responsibility for these funds.
“However, we share in the disappointment of those affected and are doing our best to make contact with the former tenant. When we do, we will strongly urge her to take responsibility and repay these deposits as quickly as possible.
“In the meantime, we are keeping lines of communication open with those impacted and stand ready to cooperate with any relevant agencies working to recover their money.
“Additionally, we are actively seeking a new tenant to reopen this beautiful pub and bring it back to the community as soon as possible.”
Many of those customers affected have now reported their cases to the police and Det Supt Gary Miles, speaking on behalf of Action Fraud, said: “Action Fraud can confirm that it received a couple of reports between the dates of 4 and 11 February 2025, and they are currently being assessed by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) at the City of London Police.”
