Lifetime pub ban for Warrington MP who backed 10pm curfew

MP Andy Carter has been banned from some 30 venues in the town he represents

An MP has received a lifetime ban from the pubs, bars and clubs in his own town following his support for the recent 10pm coronavirus curfew.

Warrington South MP Andy Carter will be barred from some 30 venues in the Cheshire town after the local Pubwatch group voted unanimously to ban him.

Members said Mr Carter had shown the industry "no support".

The Conservative said using the pub safety scheme for political aims brought it "into disrepute".

The 10pm curfew was introduced by the government to curb gatherings but was criticised by the hospitality industry, which maintained venues were safe and the early closing time only encouraged more household mixing.

One Pubwatch member said the curfew had "absolutely killed us".

Landlords have struggled throughout the various restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic

He said people were angry and Mr Carter had shown "no support for the hospitality industry at a time when we need as much as we can get".

Mr Carter, who has been an MP in the town since December 2019, said it was "simply not true" to say the government had not supported hospitality.

"I specifically raised the issue in the House of Commons asking for more support for the sector, mentioning businesses such as Hop Co and The Red Lion," he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"Pubs have received grants, access to loans and government schemes including Eat Out to Help Out and most recently back-dated support.

"I'm disappointed to see licensees using a an important scheme like Pubwatch for political aims, it's totally against what it was set up for."

Local Pubwatch schemes are run by volunteers to help create safer drinking environments in licensed premises.

Cheshire Police said the force does not play any role in who is banned from entering any premises.