UKIP Launch Protect Our Pubs Campaign

A campaign to protect Britain's pubs is to be launched in Wigan next month.UKIP chose the town as venue for the launch of its Save The British Pub campaign and will roll it out nationwide if the event is a success.

The party is preparing for a public meeting at Newtown Labour Club on December the 10th 2008.UKIP wants a change in the law to allow smoking rooms and also wants the Government to lower taxes on drinks. It chose Wigan because it believes there is great support for pubs in the town.

The campaign comes as the third Standish pub closed in as many weeks. Many traditional pubs are now boarded up across the borough.Wigan UKIP chairman Alan Freeman will chair the meeting and guest speaker will be anti-smoking ban UKIP landlord Nick Hogan.

UKIP have also invited Wigan MP Neil Turner to debate on the evening, although his office have said that with Parliament sitting that day he is unlikely to attend.

Mr Freeman said: "With Christmas and the New Year festivities just around the corner, now is the ideal time to launch. People who maybe haven't been out for a while, go out for a drink and are reminded how important pubs and clubs are in community life.

"I can't think of anything more wrong than the sight of 70, 80 and 90-year-olds having to stand outside in the cold because they happen to like a smoke.
"No wonder some have given up going out altogether, and are now suffering the consequences by being lonely and isolated. I go to Labour clubs and social clubs myself, and am very worried about what is going to happen to many of them.

"I'm a smoker myself, but I'm not saying it is good for you or for everyone. But I can't see what is wrong with having a ventilated room set aside in a pub or club for smokers."

Nick Hogan, who runs the Swan With Two Necks in Chorley, is the towns UKIP candidate in parliamentary elections.He has been in the pub trade for 20 years.

UKIP is now the "only hope" for Britain's pubs, and a recent poll in trade paper the Morning Advertiser, 68% thought that only UKIP could save Britain’s beleaguered pubs and backed UKIP's efforts to reverse the smoking ban and change the drinks tax rates.

Mr Freeman said: "We would revise the smoking ban to allow more choice, and we believe pubs and clubs should be able to choose to be smoking or not.