The landlord of a Rock Ferry pub burnt to the ground in April, says he has lost all he has worked for after the arson attack.

The Rock Station pub closed in January, before the attack, but it was the burning of the pub which cost the landlord everything he had.

The former-pub’s owner, Phil Jackson, said: “They broke in on Saturday night [27 April], they destroyed the whole pub and my home. They sh*t on my bed. They took the alarm out and robbed the CCTV, so there was nothing to identify them.

“The next night, Sunday [28 April] the place was burnt to the ground.”

Mr Jackson detailed how this had destroyed his life. He said: “I had a beautiful home with two bedrooms, i’ve been there 11 years. Downstairs, I had a restaurant area, they smashed that. Then also burnt the oak bar and the rest of the place.

“On 27 April I had a beautiful fully furnished home, by 29th I had nothing. No-one helped me, the police didn’t and the insurers said they wouldn’t pay out on a technicality. I’ve got nowhere else to go, I’m potless.”

On the arson, a spokesperson for Merseyside Police, said: “We can confirm that a full investigation has taken place alongside Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) following an arson at a pub in Rock Ferry earlier this year.

“Shortly after midnight on Monday 29 April, emergency services were called to the Rock Station on Highfield Road to reports of an arson, which caused damage but no injuries. Extensive enquiries have since been carried out, including CCTV, forensics and witness, all of which have proved negative.”

Chief Inspector Nick Gunatilleke said: “We take all reports of arson and criminal damage extremely seriously, and will take action when we can to identify those responsible for the reckless endangering of lives and property.

“At this stage there is no evidence to support a criminal prosecution, but we would naturally act on any new information, whether you come forward directly to police with reference 19100309120, or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

The background

The Rock Station pub’s closure and eventual destruction was the culmination of a long running dispute between Mr Jackson and Merseyside Police.

In late 2017, the pub faced 14 ‘licensing walk-throughs’ in four months, according to police, and these ‘walk-throughs’ found evidence of drug use on the premises.

However, Mr Jackson said his pub did not have a drugs problem. In his view, any drugs related issues at the pub related to a time before he started running it 11 years ago.

In May 2018, a Wirral Council Licensing Committee was assembled to review the pub’s licence. At the committee, a series of claims were made about The Rock Station pub, which Mr Jackson denies.

According to the minutes, Merseyside Police provided details of a number of crimes, including assault, criminal damage and the use of drugs in the premises.

In Mr Jackson’s words, the claims made to the committee, which he says were incorrect, included the idea that “people were injecting drugs into themselves in [the pub’s] car park” and that men would “brawl outside with bottles”. He said The Rock was painted as a “den of iniquity”.

Merseyside Police licensing sergeant, Craig Carmichael, said: “We requested a number of conditions be added to the Premises Licence as a response to various incidents.

“As always, this process is carried out reasonably and proportionately, to assist the prevention of crime and the safety of staff, customers and the wider community.

“Licensing reviews are conducted in full accordance with the Licensing Act and we will continue to act on all information provided to give premises a chance to make necessary changes to train their staff appropriately and install the necessary safety and security measures for the benefit of all who visit.”

After that meeting, conditions were placed on the pub’s licence, which forced the pub to close, according to Mr Jackson.

These conditions forced Mr Jackson to put himself and his staff through a series of “expensive” training courses, which in his view made The Rock Station pub an unviable business.

Mr Jackson appealed the committee’s decision at Wirral Magistrates Court, but his appeal was unsuccessful.

So in January of this year, Mr Jackson decided to close the pub.

On the licensing issue, a spokesperson for Merseyside Police, said: “Over several months, a stepped approach was taken as an attempt to agree licence conditions and give advice without going to a review hearing.”

Merseyside Police instructed Mr Jackson to take various steps to improve the security of his premises, such as installing CCTV which covered the whole premises, a written drugs policy and more training for staff.

But the spokesperson added: “This [the criminal activity at the pub] continued for seven months without the necessary changes being made, and the decision was then taken to go to Wirral Council Licencing Committee (which placed the conditions referred to previously on The Rock Station pub).”