Barred Darling
Chancellor Alistair Darling Banned from The Pig and Paper Bar Kitchen
Chancellor Alistair Darling has been banned from the Pig and Paper, Northbrook Street Newbury following his tyrannical, anti-pub budget. Further advice and guidance is being sought from Pubwatch, based around his anti social behaviour with regard to further sanctions being implemented against him.
Licensee Neil Tomlinson has written to Darling informing him that he is no longer welcome and has displayed a poster, which states “We hereby give notice that Alistair Darling, Chancellor of the Exchequer, is barred from this pub until further notice”.
The Pig and Paper is also encouraging other local pubs to take direct action against Darling as part of a national campaign which has more that 8000 pub/bars already on board with the campaign, It is anticipated with the invaluable support by the pub industry bible, the Morning Advertiser, that this figure is likely to rise day by day.
“We and the industry in general, believe this punitive and misguided budget will drive people away from the supervised environment of the pubs and bars and into the arms of the discounting supermarkets. For our part we have committed to not passing on the increases to our customers for as long as possible. Large chains and supermarkets can afford to take the increases on board, so their loss leader prices will continue as will binge drinking and youths downing alcohol on street corners and in parkland areas.
“By increasing a pint of beer by 4p and promising to raise duty 2% above inflation for the next four years, Darling will be responsible for the closure of a record number of pubs and the loss of thousands of jobs across the UK. What makes this misguided action all the more astonishing is despite his department being aware that earliest predictions from Goldman Sachs point to a 10% drop in trade at the average pub since the smoking ban came into effect on 1 July last year….he still went ahead with the increases! In addition supermarkets offering cheap and irresponsible deals on alcohol are further depressing trade and causing concern in many industry quarters. So much so the trade asked the Chancellor for help but instead he has added to the burdens of the British pub. This is a view shared by not only our industry but also our customers associations
Neil Tomlinson Tel: 01635 49098