'Go away and leave us alone!' Pub landlord hits out after industry suffers 'huge blow' from Labour

Liverpool pub owner Kate Stewart strongly criticised the idea that pubs should shut at 10pm.

She told GB News: "This is going to generate so much more anti-social behaviour by drinking in houses. In a pub you have security, you have staff, extensive CCTV.

"In a house you've got neighbours sitting next door and you can't make massive amounts of noise."

Stewart argued that the move would be devastating for the pub industry, which she said brought in £54billion last year.

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"We are grown up individuals with our own choices to make. How dare they dictate to us what we can and cannot do? And I am sick of it."

She added: "Pubs are hanging on by threads already. They close by the day all over the country.

"This will probably be the end of the pubs. I mean, it will only be very, very few the select pubs that will survive this £54 billion gone from the economy.

"Hundreds of thousands of people are employees. Leave pubs alone. Do your own job. You know you're not doing a very good job of that.

"We know how to run pubs. We know how to be responsible. Leave us to it and go away. Okay?"

The controversy began when health minister Andrew Gwynne suggested at the Labour party's annual conference that discussions were needed about tightening pub hours to address health and social issues.

He argued it could help reduce excessive drinking and domestic violence.

However, the Department of Health and Social Care quickly distanced itself from the comments, stating it was "categorically untrue" that changes to licensing policy were being considered.

Labour minister Pat McFadden also denied any plans to alter pub hours, telling LBC: "I don't think there's any plan to shut the pubs early. The pub is a great part of British life."

This firm rejection comes amidst broader discussions about Labour's health initiatives. The party is considering a ban on outdoor smoking, which would affect pub gardens and other public spaces.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has called for a "national debate" on the issue, stating: "We definitely want to see smoking phased out in our country, we committed to that in our manifesto. We want to make sure this generation of children are the healthiest generation that ever lived."

However, the hospitality industry has warned that such measures could further damage venues already struggling since the Covid-19 pandemic.