Rebel landlord’s latest venture is a Bury relaunch (From Bury Times)
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Rebel landlord’s latest venture is a Bury relaunch
9:54am Friday 7th December 2012 in News
A REBEL landlord jailed for not paying fines imposed for defying the smoking ban is back behind the bar.
Nick Hogan will be at the helm of the Dusty Miller pub in Bury when it re-opens tomorrow after a £200,000 refit.
The Victorian hostelry, which dates back to 1834, had been closed since September. Mr Hogan and his wife Denise will be landlord and landlady of the Crostons Road pub after they and pub owners, Burnley-based brewery Moorhouse’s, jointly funded the refurbishment.
Previously, as the former landlord of The Swan and Barristers in Bradshawgate, Bolton, Mr Hogan was jailed for six months after failing to pay more than £10,000 in fines and costs.
The penalty was imposed by Bolton magistrates after he was found guilty of breaching the smoking ban in January, 2008, for allowing customers to smoke in his pub.
Freedom of choice campaigners were so outraged that they raised the money to pay the fines and in March, 2010, after serving only 12 days of his sentence, Mr Hogan was freed. He was the first person in the country to be jailed in relation to the smoking ban.
Later, the couple ran The Swan With Two Necks pub in Chorley which closed in 2010.
On his latest venture, 46-year-old Mr Hogan said: “The brewery closed the Dusty Miller three months ago. As soon as I walked into it, I saw it had amazing amount potential but it needed a bit of TLC. We’re bringing it back to life.”
The landlord, who also had the Waterside in Summerseat some years ago, will welcome former Liberal Democrat MP and TV celebrity Lembit Opik as opening night guest.
Comments(6)
R'Marcus
says...
4:57pm Fri 7 Dec 12
All thinking people know that smoking kills, and at long last the Labour government outlawed smoking in public places.
Pubs are closing because the cost of a pint, and, of course, the pub owners who are greedy.
Babbar Divino
says...
7:55pm Fri 7 Dec 12
R'Marcus wrote:Good luck Nick I think you'll will need it.
This man is silly!
All thinking people know that smoking kills, and at long last the Labour government outlawed smoking in public places.
Pubs are closing because the cost of a pint, and, of course, the pub owners who are greedy.
R'Marcus.......No smoking hasn't been outlawed in public places just yet but that one if just around the corner.
I think pubs are closing for a variety of reasons not just the price of a pint:
1. Price of a pint
2. Smoking ban
3. Access to alternative entertainment
4. Cheap ale from supermarkets
chas
says...
4:40pm Sat 8 Dec 12
Greater Manchester Girl
says...
12:30pm Sun 9 Dec 12
There are far nicer places in Bury with quality drinks and frequented by the new class of Buryites. The Garsdale in Brandlesholme or Automatic are far more pleasant.
Babbar Divino
says...
6:46pm Mon 10 Dec 12
Greater Manchester Girl wrote:I can only assume this post is written as a joke? The Garsdale please :)
A horrid pub, I can imagine it will be full of repellent uneducated old Bury types. I hope it closes again soon and gets demolished. I hope GMP in Bury keep an eye on this pub, I for one will be letting them know of my concerns.
There are far nicer places in Bury with quality drinks and frequented by the new class of Buryites. The Garsdale in Brandlesholme or Automatic are far more pleasant.
chas says...
4:36pm Fri 7 Dec 12