A spokesperson for CAMRA (The Campaign for Real Ale) has spoken out in defence of the Briton’s Protection pub as a petition launched to try and save it nears 8,000 signatures.
CAMRA Pub Protection Officer Steve Ingham has reinforced growing concerns that the Briton’s expansive real ale and whiskey offering would be significantly diminished if Allan Hudd and Mark West’s lease is not renewed by Heineken-owned subsidiary Star Pubs & Bars in June.
Addressing fears that the pub’s impressive rotation of locally-brewed cask ales could soon disappear forever, he suggested that Star Pubs appear to ‘mistrust the current team’, whilst pointing out how liked and respected they are by their punters.
He told The Manc: “Realistically the adoption of the company’s Just Add Talent model as they term it, is their description of the intention to replace the existing team at the helm who are liked and respected by those who visit.
“Building on the ‘current model’ contradicts the beliefs of the current team of the motives of Star who would be unlikely to offer the great range of whiskey and bourbon.
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“The lease could of course be renewed in favour of the current tenants who have and could be relied upon to continue to provide the choice of spirits and real ale.
“It’s reasonable to conclude from the comment ‘ensure its long-term sustainability that the company mistrust the current team to continue to operate in the manner the company prefers.”
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Mr Ingham also pointed out that the pub’s currently market rent only (MRO) lease ‘provides the flexibility to the team to make choices rather than have choices presented to them.’
Adding that a change to the Just Add Talent model will ‘reflect a materially different choice, not that currently available which can react to customer suggestions,’ he said that, frustratingly, even well intentioned national company approaches ‘don’t always align with regional and even more importantly local needs.’
Tenants Allan Hudd and Mark West are currently battling to retain control of the historic boozer after being served a Section 25 eviction notice.
Fearing that everything they’ve worked to build here over the past ten years will be lost, the current team have set up a petition online which at the time of writing has received 7,645 signatures.
The petition states: “The pub is a must visit site for their specialist whisky collection, boasting over 300 bottles; including their own unique offering of specially selected single barrel Jack Daniels as well 8 rotating locally sourced cask ales on draught .
“The landlord Allan Hudd and Owner Mark West have put 10 years of passion into maintaining what this Great British pub is all about and if lost it will fall into the abyss of generic gastro pub white washing that has befell so many others, seeing the offerings whittle down to minimal portfolio that would no longer be able to support the local breweries or offer such a vast selection of whisky as is common place just now.”
The pair were only informed their lease will not be renewed this June after paying all outstanding rent and the next quarter upfront – a sum of £170,000.
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They had previously been told there would be no issues moving forward with a new contract if these payments were made, only to be issued with an eviction notice a week later.
One comment on the petition reads: “This is a gem of a pub and needs to stay as is rather than become like a 100 other chain pubs”
Another says, “We have lost enough of our heritage to these consumer giants. I still remember Tommy Ducks from my youth. Our youngsters need the opportunity to experience a variety of drinks from all over the country rather than the limited selection provided by the large conglomerates.”
A third added, “The issue of hostile Section 25 notices is a massive problem now, as the major pub companies try to avoid tenants getting their new legal rights under the Pubs Code. They are ruining hundreds of wonderful, unique pubs, evicting good long-term tenants to replace them with unsuspecting newcomers who then struggle to make the pubs work under toxic, profiteering, fake management deals. It’s a scandal.”
A fourth commented, “Unbelievable that these big businesses can’t see the unique potential of places like this – it’s not like it’s short on customers. They’re wiping the cultural slate clean :(“
If you would like to show your support for the pub, you can sign the petition to save it here.
Feature image – The Manc Group
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Altrincham named one of the UK’s best places to live in 2026 in The Sunday Times’ annual ranking
Emily Sergeant
A popular Greater Manchester town has been named among the UK’s best places to live by the Sunday Times in its annual ranking.
That’s right… it’s that time of year, once again.
The Sunday Times is known for pulling together a list of what it considers to be the most sought-after places to live in the UK every year, and 2026’s ranking has officially been published today – with dozens of locations across the country making up the comprehensive guide, and six of those coveted locations being right here in the North West.
The Sunday Times’s expert judges have visited all locations on the list, and assessed factors such as schools, transport, culture, broadband speeds, access to green spaces, the health of the high streets, and much more to devise the always-talked-about annual ranking.
Macclesfield in Cheshire, Eden Valley in Cumbria, Lancaster in Lancashire, and Aigburth in Liverpool are just some of the North West areas named by the publication in the 2026 list.
Altrincham has been named one of the best places to live in the UK / Credit: The Manc Group
A spotlight has also been shone on two Greater Manchester towns, and one of two has even been given the regional North West title… but which are they?
Where has taken the top spot as the best place to live in the North West for 2026, and is therefore one of the best places to live in the whole of the country? Well, that honour has been given to none other than Greater Manchester’s very-own Altrincham.
The publication described the Trafford town as ‘classy, cool and effortlessly comfortable’.
“Altrincham is a top-notch town brimming with independent businesses and big brands, and now it’s flying even higher,” The Sunday Times said.
The fact that co-working has now arrived on the high street thanks to the conversion of the old Rackhams department store, and that the town’s cultural and creative ‘cachet’ is also on the rise, have been highlighted as reasons as to why Altrincham has been chosen as the North West’s winner, as well its newly-flourishing fitness scene.
Of course, the town has also been praised for its transport links into Manchester city centre and across the region, as well as it being a great place for families thanks to the excellent local schools on offer.
Didsbury was the other Greater Manchester town chosen to represent the best of the North West – with the Manchester suburb described as being ‘stylish, solid, safe, and, yes, a little bit smug in parts… but that’s okay’.
You can read the full Altrincham feature here, and see where else The Sunday Times included in its list for 2026 here.
Featured Image – Geograph
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11 arrested and £70k cash seized during early-morning police drug raids across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
11 people have been arrested, as well as a large amount of cash and drugs seized, during early-morning raids across Greater Manchester.
The raids took place during the early hours of the morning yesterday (Thursday 19 March 2026), where Greater Manchester Police (GMP) successfully executed eight warrants simultaneously across Tameside, Oldham, and Rochdale to tackle a ‘suspected criminal network’ involved in the distribution of class A drugs and firearms.
Officers from Tameside Programme Challenger team, the District Intelligence Unit (DIU), and GMP’s Tactical Aid Unit (TAU) were deployed to each of the addresses.
Following weeks of intelligence gathering and preparation, a total of 11 people – each aged between 24 and 77 – were arrested on suspicion of drug-related offences during the raids.
Eight men and three women were arrested on suspicion of a range of offences, including conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs, being part of an organised crime group, possession with intent to supply, money laundering, and possession of an offensive weapon.
They all remain in police custody for questioning at this time, GMP confirmed.
During searches of the addresses, various class A, B and C drugs – including crack cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and nitrous oxide – were seized, while further recoveries of £70,000 in cash, a zombie knife, a BB gun, and four vehicles were also made at the same time.
Speaking following the success of the raids yesterday, Chief Superintendent Shan Nasim, District Commander for Tameside, said: “[This] operation has been a powerful example of our continued, determined effort to dismantle organised crime in our district and Greater Manchester.
“We have 11 people in custody being questioned by our investigation teams in relation to an organised crime group (OCG) that have been causing widespread harm across our communities.
“This action caused significant disruption of an organised crime group (OCG) and has prevented drugs and weapons from reaching the streets, as well as the associated harms that come hand in hand with organised crime.
“Organised criminals exploit vulnerable people and blight our communities; we will take robust action to catch offenders, keep our communities safe, and protect vulnerable people across Greater Manchester.”
Georgina Pellant -
5th April 2022 
