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.
Image: The Manc Group
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.
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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.”
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.
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.
Image: The Manc Group
“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.”
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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
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Salford Red Devils granted another adjournment over unpaid debts
Danny Jones
Salford Red Devils have been given one more adjournment and yet another stay of execution, being given another two weeks to find the money to cover their unpaid debts.
The local rugby league side, which has been wrapped in all manner of struggles both on and off-pitch over the past year or so, reportedly needs to pay around £700,000 to HMRC alone and still owes roughly £5 million in total to various creditors.
To no surprise, regular matchgoers, neutrals and even rivals alike have expressed their continued disappointment with the club, mainly at the lack of transparency and clarity from the organisation throughout this long, drawn-out process.
This is coming from a wire fan but no club deserves to be left in the dark even longer than they already have done it’s nothing but a disgrace to the sport of rugby those owners and the court should be ashamed of themselves.
Updating fans on social media, this is all the information they have communicated at this time: “Salford Red Devils can confirm that HMRC have granted the club a two-week adjournment, providing additional time in which to secure the necessary funds.
“We would like to reassure supporters that we are working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure a positive resolution. Further updates will be shared as soon as possible.”
It’s worth noting that the current owners have reiterated that they inheited around £3m in existing debt before they took over the club, but assurances over their own investments have still come to nothing; meanwhile, with many still waiting on wages, players and staff alike have now left.
Having been propped up by loan players and emergency loans, the team is now closer to a skeleton crew than it is an outfit capable of competing in the premier division.
Either way, the outrage remains and is only growing stronger. One user wrote on X: “A good approach by them if they was legit would be to engage and bring in The 1873 to bridge the communication black hole (they created).
“The problem with that is if they did it would expose them for what they are… Extortionists using the club as a vehicle.”
More alarm bells were raised recently when assistant coach and Krisnan Inu – who was also director of the company set up to take over the business – withdrew himself from a key position behind the scenes.
Speaking of The 1873, the outspoken supporters trust took no time at all in issuing a response of their own, adding: “The judge presiding over today’s case has adjourned by 14 days. This adjournment has dragged the uncertainty on even longer.
“Every delay makes planning for 2026 harder and keeps the club stuck in limbo when it desperately needs clarity and direction.
“The fans, the players and the future all deserve better — The 1873.”
You can see the rest of their statement in full down below, but for now, what do you make of this seemingly neverending saga, Salfordians?
‘Christmas chaos’ on the cards as Manchester tram drivers vote on staging strike action next month
Emily Sergeant
There could be major disruption to festive travel in Greater Manchester next month, as hundreds of tram drivers are currently voting on whether to strike.
Almost 320 tram drivers are being balloted over working conditions and fears around fatigue.
The drivers – who are members of the union, Unite – all work for KeolisAmey Metrolink Limited at the Warwick Road South and Queens Road depots in Manchester – and they operate trams on all routes in Greater Manchester.
As it stands, the drivers’ shift patterns currently mean they have to work 450 hours over a 12-week period, which results in some having to work 50 hours on, followed by just two days off, then back into another 50-hour work pattern.
Drivers also have fewer rest days compared to all other operational departments, and this is said to be causing safety concerns around fatigue.
‘Christmas chaos’ is on the cards as Manchester tram drivers are currently voting on staging strike action next month / Credit: TfGM
Drivers say they concerned about operating heavy vehicles while exhausted and unable to have proper breaks, but after raising the issue with management, Unite has been told there is ‘no funding available’ to support any ‘meaningful’ improvements to working patterns.
Instead, management has asked drivers to start work earlier – which Unite says is only ‘adding insult to injury’.
The ballot is set to close on 11 November, and if drivers vote in favour of industrial action, strikes could then begin in late November, causing widespread cancellations and delays throughout the region during the busy festive shopping period – particularly coinciding with Manchester’s world-famous Christmas Markets, known for attracting millions of visitors to the city each year.
“Any strike action will cause a great deal of disruption but it is entirely the fault of Metrolink, which is not taking the issue of driver fatigue seriously,” commented Unite Regional Officer, Colin Hayden.
Georgina Pellant -
28th March 2022 
