Former landlady of Royton pub speaks out after gangster video is filmed in the building

The former landlady of a Royton pub said she has been unfairly dismissed from her post after a group entered the venue to film a gangster video showing-off wads of cash and a gun.

The video features fake cash on the pub’s pool table as well as a toy gun and mock bullets. A fire-eater is seen dancing outside the Market Street building. 

People who appear to be customers are seen dancing and drinking in the background. 

Jean English (66), said she and her partner Terry were resting on the first flood of the Duke of Edinburgh pub, leaving the bar, in the capable hands of the staff when the incident happened.

She said it was a day before her wedding on July 18, when she realised the group had entered at around 9pm when they set off the fire alarm because of the fire stunts the group were taking part in.  

Jean said: “The group entered the pub without asking me for permission. It was a day before my wedding, and I was with my partner just having a quiet moment when the smoke alarm went off.  

“I got sacked because of the footage on CCTV by the area manager Craft Union but the group never asked me for permission but just walked in – I asked them to leave, and they must have recorded the video by then and the bar staff never told me what was going on.  

“It included three or four rappers and a girl, who was the fire eater and that’s what set the smoke alarm off.  

“Luckily, there was no damage to the building, and they left and continued making the film outside. They were filming by the pool table with fake cash and a fake gun.” 

Terry (69), said the pair and their family were given a 24- hour notice to leave the building with nowhere to go. 

He added: “They put us on the streets with our young grandchildren, who are aged eight and four. 

“The girls in the bar should have told us about it. I guess it was naivety on their part.”  

Oldham council said it was aware of reports of a rap video being filmed at the pub. 

The town hall said it is investigating with Greater Manchester Police after a video by RoyalWright99 and 1 Torcha Boss appeared on YouTube earlier this month. 

“We have been made aware of reports in regard to the Duke of Edinburgh pub,” the council said in a statement. 

“We are investigating these reports in collaboration with Greater Manchester Police as a matter of urgency, to assess what has occurred and ensure resident safety.” 

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: “There is still an ongoing investigation into the original reports of the gathering by a group at the pub, but not into the video.”