Landlord sorry for BNP meeting

| Wednesday, 5 July 2006 Source: Times & Star

A MARYPORT landlord has apologised to the town's immigrant workforce for allowing the British National Party to meet in his pub.

Brian Robinson, licensee of the King's Arms, said organisers of the newly-formed Allerdale BNP told him they were holding a pigeon meeting.

The group has met four times, in Wigton and Maryport and met at the King's on Wednesday last week and intends to field candidates in all future elections.

It is feared the party is attempting to stir up trouble between Maryport locals and the Eastern European community who work at the town's fish factories.

The BNP has its roots in the old National Front.

Politicians and anti-fascist campaigners have condemned the party's extreme views and told its leaders they are not welcome here.

Mr Robinson said: "I am absolutely gutted. I apologise unreservedly for any offence caused to anyone.

"My girlfriend is Italian and my cousin has two black children, who I am very proud of.

"In my previous pub, a lot of the foreign lads who work at the fish factories used to come in and play snooker and pool and I always got on well with them.

"I was asked to hold a pigeon meeting by someone I know vaguely and I could not believe it when I saw what they were actually doing.

"If I had known they would not have been allowed to step foot in the pub and I can guarantee they will never be allowed to again."

Mr Robinson only re-opened the pub last weekend after the previous owners closed it last November.

He is heavily involved in the forthcoming blues festival and is keen to re-launch the pub as a family venue.

"We have five bands for the blues and I am starting to serve bar meals soon.

"I really hope some of the foreign lads come in over the blues weekend and they will be made very welcome.

"The BNP is not the image I want for the pub and it does not in any way reflect my views."

Maryport police have told Mr Robinson not to hold any further BNP meetings.