Hundreds sign petition to save landlord's job

Hundreds of people are supporting a petition campaign to keep landlord Tommy Murphy pulling pints at the Hobgoblin.

The landlord, who has worked at the High Street pub for seven years, has been told he is losing his job and a replacement is being brought in.

But the pub owner, Asset Manager Solutions (AMS), denied rumours the pub, a popular live music venue, will become a sports bar.

Customers this week rallied behind Tommy (pictured front), saying it would be a ‘tragedy’ if he left. They hope the petition, which already has 600 signatures, will convince the owners to reverse the decision.

"I don’t want to leave but what can you do?" said Tommy, who is a self-employed landlord of the pub and not an employee of AMS.

"Tuesday will be my last day unless they reverse the decision, but that’s highly unlikely."

The 51-year-old, who received a fundraising award from Stroke Association UK after suffering a stroke himself in 2006, said he was grateful for customers' support and had grown to love Maidenhead and its people.

Alex Mann, a Hobgoblin regular, said: "It would be a real tragedy to lose him, or the spirit of the pub itself – both of which are irreplaceable."

PR executive Emily Bird, 30, of Ray Park Lane, said: "The pub has the ‘Cheers’ effect and when you go there you know you will see your friends.

"Tommy's an integral part of why the pub is successful and we all love him dearly."

Mark Lynch, regional operations manager for AMS, which has run the pub since the chain went into administration in 2009, said due to the performance of the business the company had decided to 'look down the route of another manager'.

"We will be keeping it as the Hobgoblin, which is all about music for Maidenhead," he added.