Pub with no swearing, no gambling and, guess what... no customers



Of all the careers available to a devout Christian couple, revamping an urban pub and winning over its hardcore regulars was always going to be a gamble.

Sure enough, Krista and John Fleming found they were preaching to the unconverted - and the regulars had every intention of staying that way.

Now the Flemings, who banned swearing and gambling on horseracing, have been sacked after takings plunged.

Faith: Krista and John Fleming say they have been let down

Locals at the Kings Head, in Islington, North London, claim the couple, who have two young sons, have forced out 50 regulars since last September.

George Whipps, 67, said: 'Those two were almost the ruin of this place. They told everyone who swore once they would be banned. They barred people who had been coming here for 30-odd years.'

Another regular, who only gave her name as Rose, 57, says was barred when she swore at Mrs Fleming for refusing to serve her more than half a pint.

She said: 'They should have built pews in here rather than chairs. I have no problem with their religion but... a pub is a pub. They started having a quiz and loads of the questions were on the Bible.

'They took down the dart board... and now there's some kind of calligraphy up there.

'Whenever people were in the garden and heard her singing hymns upstairs they would join in and drown her out.'



The King's Head in Islington, where regulars and the new Christian landlords came to loggerheads over swearing and gambling

But Mr and Mrs Fleming, who describe themselves as devout Church of England Christians, said they acted out of 'common decency and the pub struggled because the owners let them down'.

All the changes, they said, had the backing of owners Oakfield Taverns and their brief was for 'two women to be able to come into the pub, buy a bottle of wine and feel comfortable drinking it'.

Part of the plan was to get rid of the hardcore Arsenal fans who scared away other customers. Mrs Fleming, 36, said: 'I have a family and it's not the kind of language I want where my children are going to be.'

She added: 'We have a very strong faith and we have good family values. What we were trying to do was fulfil a remit.'

Mr Fleming, 44, who has managed several pubs, said they had sunk their savings into running the Kings Head.

He denied anyone was barred just for swearing. 'We just didn't want people swearing at the top of their voices, standing at the bar and making other people uncomfortable,' he said.

His wife said takings had fallen because the pub lost its Sky sports coverage, had its credit card facilities withdrawn and had problems getting the drinks that customers wanted.

New managers took over three weeks ago but the Flemings refuse to leave the flat above the pub. The dispute will go to the county court later this month. Oakfield Taverns said the pub was now 'doing very well'. Takings are said to have significantly increased.

And a blackboard has been put up in the pub reading: 'Swearing now allowed'