A PUB has received an apology and a £2,000 refund on its bill after a clerical “oversight” by a water company.

The Mason’s Arms in Wadborough, near Pershore, will collect a rebate on a Severn Trent Water bill after an error was made in calculating the amount of surface water running from the property into the firm’s drains.

Severn Trent accepted it had made an error but would only refund the last six months’ overpayment.

But following a call from your Worcester News it is now repaying the amount back-dated to when the query was first raised in 2008. It comes as the company announced half-year pre-tax profits from April to Sept-ember (2010) of £272 million on turnover of £702 million.

However, it has also said its customers have the lowest water bills nationally (falling by four per cent by 2015) and is investing £2.2 billion in its network over the same period.

The pub is run by Rita and Barry Knight, who took over the lease in January 2008, and initially queried their £729 annual surface water charge, which excluded mains water charges.

However, Mrs Knight said she didn’t actually pursue Severn Trent until October this year when the firm then admitted its mistake.

“They back-dated the payment of £460 to April this year and I got back in touch and said ‘what about the rest?’ said Mrs Knight.

“And they said that was just their policy.

“But they’re making millions in profit and £2,000 to a rural pub makes one hell of a difference.

“Apparently, the pub had been put in the wrong surface water bill band since 2000. Severn Trent had never actually come out to inspect the pub until I queried it in October, so up to then it was just decided by somebody behind a desk.”

She said she was “delighted” with the water company’s change of heart.

“I’m a very happy landlady – this is the best Christmas present.”

A Severn Trent spokeswoman said: “Our investigations showed although Mr and Mrs Knight did contact us in December 2008 to challenge the banding, regrettably we failed to clearly explain the correct process to query this billing.

“We have apologised to the Knights for our oversight, and as a gesture of goodwill, agreed to back-date the revised, correct charges to April 2008, and to refund any overpayment accordingly.”

• Severn Trent is warning people to insulate any exposed water pipes ahead of the predicted cold weather.