More than 600 people have signed a petition in support of the landlord of Maidstone’s only gay pub, who was served notice to leave after a dispute over Foster's lager.

Ron Hall only took over the Queen Anne in January but last Monday the brewery gave him just 28 days to vacate the building in Queen Anne Road, off Sittingbourne Road.

He believes he is being kicked out due to a dispute over a barrel of Foster’s, which he believed had been resolved.

He says he bought the lager from a cash and carry warehouse, as allowed in his contract, when the pub ran out but did not inform the brewery his pub is attached to soon enough.

Mr Hall, 39, said: “I went to a meeting on Monday thinking I would be signing a five-year lease but instead I got the notice. It was a shock.

“They are using the excuse there’s no trust but I didn’t break any trust.

“I met my first love in this pub, Simon, and we lasted a good six years, so as soon as the lease became available I knew I had to have it. I’ve been overwhelmed by the support; it made me cry reading some of the comments on the petition. I didn’t think anyone would give two hoots about me going but they do.”

Delivery driver and regular at the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender venue, Farrah Herbert set up the petition.

"I didn’t think anyone would give two hoots about me going but they do," landlord Ron Hall

Ms Herbert, who is transgender, said: “It’s really important Ron stays as landlord so the LGBT community has somewhere safe to go. We don’t know if the brewery wants to put a landlord in that will turn it into a straight bar or a sports venue or the sort of place that will attract people who won’t be accepting of the LGBT community.

“There are very few places we can go on a Saturday night and know we’re not going to get hassled, beaten up or abused. If the Queen Anne changed there would be trans people who simply wouldn’t have a night out.

“We want to collect as many signatures as possible so the brewery can’t ignore us.”

Mr Hall is investigating whether the brewery has an appeals procedure.

The Queen Anne has DJ nights, karaoke, live music, drag acts and its own version of the X-Factor – The Q Factor – and regulars were looking forward to Christmas celebrations and a New Year’s Eve prom.

A spokesman for Admiral Taverns said the lease will be offered to Mr Hall's silent business partner but the current landlord is hopeful the petition will still change the brewery's mind.

Business development manager Cathy Button said: “Our focus is on ensuring a long term sustainable future for the Queen Anne as a pub at the heart of its community.

"We have made the commercial decision to end the licensee agreement with both Ron Hall and Terry Boxell but can confirm that we have offered the sole tenancy to Terry.

"We recognise and thank Ron for the work he has put into the Queen Anne over his time at the pub and hope that the local community will continue to support Terry and The Queen Anne.”

The news comes as the brewery successfully applied to Maidstone Borough Council to extend opening hours from 1.30am to 3.30am on Fridays and Saturdays. It can open until 1.30am Sunday to Thursday.

Sign the petition here.