https://groups.google.com/a/googleproductforums.com/forum/#!topic/business/rjFiPEkVwlU/discussion

you may also want to read mike blumenthal’s post on it too:
http://blumenthals.com/blog/2010/11/17/google-places-you-are-not-rejected-not-suspended-you-are-in-places-purgatory/

Hi Glenn,

Have you tried the suggestions above. In my experience we found that just completing a few more items in the listing, such as images, was enough to get the listing displaying again. Whether it’s a glitch, or just something Google needs in order to feel the listing is trusted again it’s worked each time we’ve run into the issue you are describing.

In terms of lack of help from Google are you posting in the Google Webmaster Help forum or the Google Places Help forum? If you are only using the Webmaster Help forum, this may be why you are struggling. Be sure to also check out the Places help forum http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Places?hl=en

If all else fails, I have had one other business that was having serious issues with his Places listing and ultimately opted to start from scratch so that he had more control over his business. He was upset that he lost his reviews, etc., but in the end felt it was worth it because it was better than having no listing online.

Hi Andrew, great questions. The 5 images was discovered from a mix of a comment in a thread on the Google Places help forum and some individual tests. Again, we have no idea WHY this works, but tests show that this is the only adjustment needed after getting the approval email and still having a listing that is stuck in limbo.

In regards to whether or not the Maps search result still works when the Places entry is showing as Pending, no, the listing does not. In fact in our experience Google will quickly replace the penalized listing with a listing of their own generated using aggregated content. In the handful of listings we have had this problem with, Google has created a replacement listing within 24 hours of taking down the listing in violation. Interestingly enough, as soon as the listing in violation is restored, we found that the Google created listing vanished shortly thereafter.

Thanks for your comment and good luck with your Places listings!