“All my money is in this pub and I have nothing else,” says publican
An Australian pub landlord who took a pay cut in attempt to save his Manchester pub from closure now faces the prospect of being deported after his wages failed to meet the criteria needed to qualify for citizenship.
Russell Young, 62, from Melbourne, applied for a five-year-visa but his application was rejected as the publican did not meet the criteria of earning a total of £18,600 per year.
As reported by the MailOnline, Young and wife, Tracie, purchased the Sun Inn in Failsworth, Oldham, in 2018 for a total sum of £250,000.
According to the publication, Young was able to increase the pub’s turnover from £99,000 to almost £220,000 before the Covid-19 pandemic.
In an attempt to ensure the success of their hospitality business, the pair paid themselves a mere £100 per week, however this fell below the annual figure stated by the Home Office to remain in the UK.
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Judges rejected Young’s appeal last week, which has left the publican with just 14 days to return to Australia or attempt to overturn the court’s decision.
Young said: “The system just appears really inconsistent and I feel really hard done by. I am not a criminal; I don’t have a criminal record, yet I am being deported.
“I just don’t know what is going to happen. All my money is in this pub and I have nothing else. I have a life here and I don’t want to leave.
“We were informed that immigration officials would take into account the pub’s turnover but they didn’t. It was a new business and we only paid ourselves £100-a-week and put the rest back into the business.”
He continued: “If we’d have known the £18,600 was going to be crucial, we’d have made sure that I met it. I can either apply to appeal the appeal or leave.”
