A PUB couple has been told to leave by its owners following after an incident on Remembrance Sunday - when the couple gave out free drinks to people who had observed the 11am silence in the village.

Nigel Cookson and his partner Jo Cashon, who run the Grey Horse Pub in Elvington, said Punch Pubs issued them with a termination of employment notice yesterday (Tuesday).

Earlier this month North Yorkshire Police told The Press that an investigation had been launched following the incident.  

Police were called on November 10 after complaints that people were drinking and smoking on the premises.

Nigel and Jo say they simply left glasses and some of their own wine and whisky out on benches outside the pub as a gesture to the villagers who may want to toast the memory of those who died.

On Tuesday Nigel Cookson said: “We feel our case is being dealt with far more harshly than others. For instance, The Coach and Horses in Harrogate – also under the control of the police licensing division – were issued with two warnings over Covid rules.

“They were then prosecuted as per the police statement ‘only as a last resort’, unlike the ‘one strike and you’re out’ applied to ourselves.”

Jo and Nigel accept that it was a mistake to hand out free alcohol – even if it was their own and not pub stock – but say losing their home and jobs is a disproportionate punishment.

They added: “You are all entitled to your opinions about how you feel we acted. All we can offer in support of our actions is our remorse, we have openly admitted in hindsight we shouldn’t have done what we did, even if it was in good faith.

“However, we still steadfastly don’t believe that our actions should be treated so severely under North Yorkshire Police’s ‘last resort’ system, to the extent that we should lose our home and our livelihood.

The Press has approached North Yorkshire Police and Pubs Punch to comment. 

A petition is still active in a bid to get the couple reinstated at the pub. 

One local resident, Lindsay Banks, said: "They have lost their livelihood at a time when jobs are precious. That is two peoples lives affected. Plus their families who are relying on them for their income and support during this time. And the many more of us who have lost our only community pub.

"Aside from the immediate effects, this has impacted our village of approx 2000 people. Many of whom, myself included, saw this as the hub of the community."