Staff at Northamptonshire village pub left “traumatised” by gunpoint robbery

Northamptonshire Police are hunting the man who stole cash from the Boat House Pub in Braunston, near Daventry, after he threatened staff and locked three workers behind the bar

The robbery happened just after midnight on Sunday as manager Phil Heimes and three members of staff were closing up the pub for the night.

Mr Heimes, who became manager of the pub two weeks ago, said: “At the moment all the staff involved are very shaken up.

“IN this trade, it is always in the back of your mind that something like this may happen but you don’t expect it to happen to you.

“It is very traumatic but the guy on the other side of the gun does not seem to care.”

Mr Heimes, who moved to Northamptonshire from another Marston’s pub in Leicestershire, said he had been heartened by the response from the pub’s customers in Braunston.

Police would like to speak to anyone who may have seen a man acting suspiciously at around 11.45pm on Saturday, on the canal towpath near the pub or at the bus stop on the main road next to the pub before the robbery.

The man was of heavy build, out of breath and wearing dark coloured clothing.

Detective Sergeant Gavin Suttie from Northampton CID, said it was “a rare incident to take place in Braunston.”

Witnesses or anyone with information can call police on 101.