A PERSHORE landlord is facing eviction in a fortnight after going bankrupt.

Brian Male, manager of the White Horse Hotel, in Church Row, was due to be visited by bailiffs this week as the Official Receiver moved to reclaim beer which had not been paid for.

A spokesman for the Official Receiver said Mr Male went bankrupt on October 19 after closing the doors midway through September.

He is facing eviction by owner Pio Palumbo but is understood to be living in the locked building with his sick wife,.

Mr Palumbo, who owns the Oak Inn and Pio's Restaurant in Defford, said he had tried to help his tenant but now had no choice other than to move for eviction.

"It breaks my heart to see the place like that," said Mr Palumbo.

"He (Mr Male) has been my tenant for ten years and I have never raised the rent by a penny .

"I want to refurbish the place but I have to go to court on November 28 to try to evict him.

He owes me rent arrears but I'm not too worried about that, I will be just happy for him and his wife to leave," he added.

The Official Receiver spokesman said it was this week trying to recover beer which was not paid for because the brewery supplying it have a retention order.

Mr Palumbo hopes to reopen the hotel by the end of January.

"It depends on the courts," he added, "but after he is moved out I will refurbish what is a lovely building and make it the best place in Worcestershire.

"We have already built the shell for lots of new rooms for the hotel," he added.

The Journal was unable to contact Mr Male for a comment when it visited the White Horse Hotel, in Pershore yesterday.