Village inn branded 's****y little pub that nobody wants to drink in anyway' after standing in path of HS2

Rail minister Huw Merriman was being grilled the Commons transport committee about the attitude within HS2 towards residents in its path.

Greg Smith, MP for Buckingham, said the pub in his constituency had been offered no compensation, despite being affected by the work.

WATCH: Former HS2 manager tells Nigel Farage there was "a multibillion-pound cover up plan"

Mr Smith asked Mr Merriman: "With the departure of Mr Thurston, has there been a change in attitude towards some of those businesses [affected by construction work] given that when I challenged him on, in particular the Prince of Wales pub in [the village] Steeple Claydon

"His response to me, thinking it was not going to be heard by anyone else, was 'Well, it's a s****y little pub that nobody wants to drink in anyway.' That is clearly an unacceptable attitude."

Mr Merriman replied: "I'm sorry if that was the response you received."

He added that new HS2 boss Sir Jon Thompson wanted "'to make sure everyone balances the need to deliver the job with the need to be respectful to those impacted by it."

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Prince of Wales owner, Frank Mahon, 64, said: "HS2 has done everything possible to try and close me down, but the pub has survived and is supported massively by the locals."

MPs also heard that landowners on part of the axed northern leg of the line are feeling "suicidal" due to the lack of action by HS2.

Rail consultant Trevor Parkin said bosses were "dragging their feet" – possibly in the hope of a U-turn following a general election.

The Birmingham to Manchester part of the route was axed in October.

Mr Parkin said that since that announcement HS2 had not communicated with landowners and many of those who had land compulsorily purchased had not been paid and were "suicidal at the way that they've been treated".

HS2 said: "At all times we endeavour to be understanding and to provide appropriate support and guidance."

Former head of planning and performance at HS2, Andrew Bruce, said on GB News there was "a multibillion-pound cover up plan to hide the ballooning costs of the project."

In a statement given to GB News, HS2 Ltd said in response: "In the course of updating estimates on land and property, costs have increased, and we have been completely transparent about this process. No order was given to destroy the Deloitte report, and it was not shredded. Electronic copies were retained."