Death of the local: Pubs treated like 'Thatcher treated miners'

Nov 19 2008 by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

‘One rule for stores and another for the pubs’

ANGRY owners of an ill-fated town centre bar say Labour has treated the pub trade like Margaret Thatcher treated miners.

Matthew Lammyman and his mother Jean were forced to close HD One Bar at Westgate, Huddersfield, in the face of rocketing costs and falling sales.

And in a letter to Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman they launched a scathing attack on the Government’s attitude towards pubs.

The letter said: “The economic climate obviously has contributed to this situation.

“However, the biggest culprit is the Government.

“It has systematically destroyed this industry.

“This Government can never criticise Maggie Thatcher again.

“This Government has done to the pub and bar industry what Mrs Thatcher did to the manufacturing industry.”