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‘If lost, it will fall into the abyss of generic gastro pub white washing’ – The Briton’s Protection launch petition to save pub

"Help us keep the Britons as it should be, steeped in local heritage, serving local beers and raising great whisky to all who enter."

Georgina Pellant - 28th March 2022

Owners of The Briton’s Protection pub in Manchester have today launched a petition to save their historic boozer.

Last week, Heineken-owned subsidiary Star Pubs & Bars refused to renew the lease and threatened them with an eviction notice.

Now, owner Mark West and landlord Allan Hudd are battling to retain control of the iconic Manchester pub, which they have run for the past decade, after being told the brewery wants to take The Briton’s back into its managed portfolio from as early as June.

Long considered a Manchester institution, the specialist whisky pub boasts over 300 bottles alongside its own special collection of rare Jack Daniels casks – not to mention a regular rotation of local cask ales.

If Star Pubs & Bars were to be successful in taking the pub back, however, all of this would disappear – leaving just a few generic beers and maybe ten generic whiskies on its back bar.

The Briton’s team say that, if lost, the pub will “fall into the abyss of generic gastro pub whitewashing 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 commonplace just now.”

Simply put, we just can’t let that happen.

Read more: Historic Manchester pub The Briton’s Protection under serious threat

At the time of writing, the petition has just 55 signatures – but we know that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of Mancs who will want to get behind this campaign to save The Briton’s Protection.

If you want to sign it, you can do so here.

The pub’s full petition reads: “A Manchester Iconic Pub, The Britons Proteciton is under-threat.

“Brewery subsidiary Star Pub & Bars under Parent company Heineken UK have opted not to renew the lease of the current owners. This will have a massive impact on the offerings and running of hich the Britons Protection has become known for over the decades.

“The pub is a must visit site for their specialist whiskey collections, boasting over 300 bottles, including their own unique offering of specially-selected single barrel JackDaniels as well as 8 rotating localled 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.

“Help us keep the Britons as it should be, steeped in local heritage, serving local beers and raising great whisky to all who enter.”

To show your support for this iconic Manchester boozer, make sure to sign the petition and let Star Pubs & Bars know we won’t be letting it go without a fight.

Feature image – The Manc Group