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ALLING TIME Clare Danswan of the Beehive with the poster barring the Chancellor

LANDLORDS in Swindon have banned Alistair Darling from their pubs as part of a national campaign.

The action is in protest against the 4p rise in tax on beer announced in the budget earlier this month.

The Beehive in Old Town is leading the effort in Swindon.

Landlord Andy Marcer said: "Basically it seems that every budget drinkers get hit, this year even more so."

Mr Marcer claims the problems are made worse by a significant drop in sales resulting from the smoking ban.

He said: "It is killing the traditional pub.

"I will never let Darling darken my doors again."

Robert Feal-Martinez, licensee of the Carpenters Arms in South Marston, has followed suit with the ban.

The landlord, who is planning to stand for UKIP at this year's council elections, said: "I feel it is necessary because in spite of all the lobbying in the industry that we really needed a freeze in duty, the increase of 4p is the highest I have seen in 20 years."

Mr Feal-Martinez said the increase amounted to about 20p on a pint after other duties.

He agreed the hike was a particular blow as the industry was reeling from the impact of the smoking ban.

He said: "We are not seeing anything from this Government that would suggest they are in favour of public houses."

Jonathan Mail, a spokesman for the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra), said Mr Darling should actually be spending more time in the pub.

Mr Mail said: "Camra would like Mr Darling to see the hard work that is put in by licensees so he can appreciate the community reality of pubs.

"It is the education of the Chancellor which is needed rather than banning him."

Robert Buckland, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for South Swindon, supported the ban.

He said: "I am not surprised. His very crude attempts to curb binge drinking are hurting people who like a quiet drink or two.

"If he had really meant what he said about tackling binge drinking, a far more targeted approach would be more effective."

South Swindon Labour MP Anne Snelgrove did find an upside for the Government.

She said: "The last thing we would want is an inebriated Chancellor, so I am quite glad that Swindon's pubs are keeping him on the straight and narrow."

The move by Swindon's pubs comes on the back of a national campaign to ban the Chancellor from every bar in the country.

Utopia, in Edinburgh, was the first pub to make the move.

A Facebook group for the campaign already has more than 1,000 members.

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8:34am Friday 28th March 2008

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