Make Gerry Welcome!
Today the Morning Advertiser salutes brave licensing minister Gerry Sutcliffe - the pub trade's new champion - and urges licensees to Make Gerry Welcome.
Sutcliffe, a former president of National Pubwatch, broke ranks with the Government and spoke out over the devastating anti-pub Budget last week.
In an exclusive interview with MA editor Andrew Pring, he said the industry is "right to be upset" with Chancellor Alistair Darling's decision to slap 4p on a pint and raise duty on alcohol by 2% above inflation for the next four years.
"We, and I speak as a champion of the pub trade, want the Chancellor to change his mind," he said.
Our Gerry has urged us to unite and mobilise and we must take note.
"We've had examples like the fuel levy where the impact on a sector has been massive — and the decision has been deferred," he added.
"I'm not saying that will happen, but that's where the trade needs to focus the basis of its argument."
So Gerry, we salute you for bringing the plight of the pubs to the attention of the national media and giving the industry hope that the future duty hikes can be overturned.
In stark contrast to our Ban Alistair Darling campaign, we want licensees to Make Gerry Welcome in all our pubs.
So here is what we want you, the frontline licensees, to do:
1. Download our St Gerry Poster and put it up at the pub.
2. Download the Gerry Sutcliffe: You Are Welcome Letter and post it/ email it fhgpyvssrt@cneyvnzrag.hx.
3. If you haven't already, download a Ban Alistair Darling Poster and put it up in your pub next to St Gerry.
4. Download the MA's front page showing Donkey Darling and stick it up next to the posters to show the Pub Enemy No1 and Pub Pal No1 in stark contrast.
5. Take a picture of you, staff and customers with the posters and email it to Ewan.Turney@william-reed.co.uk.
