Don’t call time on our pubs, says UKIP's Derek Clark

Save our pubs – that’s the message from Northampton landlord Steve Wheller.

[ClickPress, Mon Oct 24 2011] Save our pubs – that’s the message from Northampton landlord Steve Wheller.

The popular publican at The Pioneer in Hazeldene Road has called on the Government to do more to protect pubs from the effects of the smoking ban, cheap supermarket booze and VAT.

And he has been joined by Northamptonshire MEP Derek Clark, whose party UKIP has launched its own Save the Pub campaign.

Mr Wheller, who has been at The Pioneer for 17 months, said: “The prices in supermarkets cause us so many problems.

“Young people get drunk quickly and cheaply and often it’s the pubs which get blamed. Prices should be brought into line and supermarkets shouldn’t be allowed to sell as a loss leader.”

He said the role of the pub in the community was crucial, saying his pub often acted as a ‘job centre’ where people chatted about work and job and business opportunities over a pint.

He said: “The Government should do more to protect the pubs – the smoking ban was another nail in the coffin for instance. More should be done to help landlords and protect us.”

Mr Clark said he has become increasingly concerned at latest figures which have cast gloom on the pub trade.

A recent survey by Jones Lang LaSalle revealed 45 per cent of licensees reported a fall in sales in the last year with 25 pubs closing every week.

He has pledged to support British Pub Week and backed calls to amend the smoking ban and alter the VAT rules to allow pubs to compete with supermarket prices.

He said: “UKIP is the first political party to pledge its support to British Pub Week. We want to encourage people to use their pubs.

“Pubs are not simply places to drink – they are integral to the local communities they serve so well.”

Now in its third year, it will run from Friday (October 28), to Sunday, November 6.

For more information about UKIP’s campaign visit www.savethepub.co.uk and to find out more about Pub Week visit britishpubweek.org.uk