Paul’s pub crawl to aid ailing industry

PULLING a pint . . . UKIP’s Paul Nuttall and licensee John Finney

Oldham MEP Paul Nuttall popped into a local pub on his fact-finding visit around the North-West, highlighting British Pub Week.

The MEP is urging the Government to intervene to help the struggling trade.

Nuttall visited The Grouse Inn on Lees Road, Oldham, and chatted to licensee John Finney.

Mr Nuttall said: “It was good to see that this particular establishment has a loyal crowd of regulars and it clearly plays an important role in the local community. But so many other pubs are struggling and many have closed and gone forever.

“Pubs have traditionally been at the heart of communities and it is a tragedy when they are lost.

“UKIP is the only major political party fighting to try to halt the decline and British Pub Week is helping highlight the need for urgent action to be taken.

“There is no simple answer but it is certainly time to re-think the smoking ban which has taken 20 per cent off pub takings.

“Across Northern Europe common sense is prevailing and pubs and restaurants are now allowed to provide a separate smoking room.

“This is exactly what should be happening here, it would make such a difference. I also think the campaign to take VAT down to 5 per cent in pubs would actually help Government revenue, not hurt it because closed pubs pay no tax at all.

“And there is no doubt that supermarkets have played a role in the demise of pubs. We want the Government to get supermarkets round the table and ask them to play fairly.”