Sunday 22 March 2009

Save the Pub Campaign Update

We were out an about campaining in pubs today and were visitng pubs in Wyke and Royds among other areas.

Every pub was interested in our new pub policy paper, and we had some very positive feedback.We handed out two different types of beermats, the new posters, policy papers and loads of petitions that people were eager to sign on the spot!

Pubs we visited:
Prince of Orange, New Furnace, Beehive, Waggoners, Kings Head, Drop Kick, British Queen (where we sparked off a lively debate!), Junction, The Crown, Oddfellows Hall, Oddfellows, Brown Cow, The Royal, Mail Coach and the Northern

UKIP Pub Policy: http://www.ukip.org/media/pdf/pubs.pdf
UKIP Pub Campaign Website: http://www.savethepub.co.uk/

Saturday 14 March 2009

Public Meeting on Regeneration

"Bradford Civic Society wants residents to become more involved in the regeneration of Bradford city centre.
It wants to hear people’s views on what is good, what is not so good and what they would like to see in the future in terms of regeneration." - T&A

Looks like we'll get a chance to get our two-peneth in with the Civic society at an open meeting.

The event is called "The Regeneration of Bradford City Centre"
at the Impressions Gallery
Centenary Square
Bradford

between noon and 4pm on Saturday, March 21.

Make sure you get there and voice your concerns over the number of craters in the city and the poor odeon!

UKIP Called for sacking of regeneration boss - Yorkshire Post Article

UKIP Called for a local vote on plans for the odeon - T&A Article

Thursday 12 March 2009

Pub News

Came across this interesting article from the Yorkshire Evening Post.

Looks like Gerry Sutcliffe (MP Bradford South - Licensing Minister for the country) - could be taking a leaf out of our policy.....

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UKIP Says: "...would also allow the designation of established pubs for pub use only in local plans, to avoid closure and conversion into other uses, where there is a strong local desire to retain pubs "

Ministers Say: "Ministers are also looking at beefing up planning rules to prevent former pub buildings being so easily bulldozed."

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UKIP Says: "...would cut business rates and taxes on community pubs. "

Minister Say: "WEST Yorkshire pubs that are “centres of the community” could enjoy lower business rates under proposals being examined by the Government."

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UKIP Says: "...would reduce both EU derived regulations, and UK regulations and controls, and tone down enforcement regimes, involving variously licences, permits, certificates, surveys, reports, audits, contracts, procedures, assessments and policies."

Ministers Say: "Licensing minister Gerry Sutcliffe said planned action includes simplifying minor changes to licences and helping pubs stay open when the licence holder dies."

"She (Treasury Minister Angela Eagle) rejected calls for lower alcohol tax for pubs compared to supermarkets, saying it would be illegal under EU law."
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Looks like Gerry and chums are taking pages out of our book! ... and yes, according to the Treasury Minister, EU rules are stopping us from looking at potential alternatives!
UKIP spot on again ;)


UKIP Pub Policy: http://www.ukip.org/media/pdf/pubs.pdf
UKIP Campaign Website: http://www.savethepub.co.uk/

Wednesday 11 March 2009

Another "Hole in the Heart"

The T&A reports more of Bradford City is centre is demolished in a £45 million pound scheme.

"McAleer & Rushe, a leading construction and development company in Northern Ireland, has applied for planning permission for a 200-bed hotel, to be run by the Jurys Inn chain, and 13,500 square metres of offices."

The T&A also reports the demolition has taken place before any kind of planning application has been approved. There are also reports that the area is a conservation area, which makes the whole process rather bizarre.

10's of millions of pounds wasted on what could be another Broadway fiasco, and looking at how long the recession maybe, the companies may go bust before completion.

"The Park in the Heart" is set to cost a fair amount, as well as the (never appearing) Westfield Development. The Odeon is another contentious issue.

Don't get us wrong, we want to see Bradford as a modern, enticing place to do business and live. But the amount of money thrown at these big city demolition jobs, and the lack of progress at a time when we need to be bringing in business to provide jobs in the recession is incredible.

The Council would do better using money to give the people of Bradford a Council Tax freeze instead of putting it up to pay for all these failed projects. We need to get people spending again and help them pay the bills instead of raising taxes every year.

What we really need is to have a council that can control its own business rates, look to lower them so Bradford can be a competitive place to do business. - We need to encourage businesses to set up shop!

Friday 6 March 2009

Local Pool Consultation

Bradford Council have launched a "district-wide" consultation on swimming pool and sport facilities in Bradford reports the T&A.

There is an online survey asking for your thoughts on the Bradford Council Website:
Click here to take the survey: http://www.bradford.gov.uk/sfs/

It seems very quiet on the Bradford Council website, with no news release about it, except a solitary link on the left of the main page, without much explanation.

After the outcry against possible closures of local communinty pools last year, it comes as a bit of a relief that the public will be consulted. However, there seem to be no other ways the consultation process will be undertaken. For people who aren't IT savy probably won't be able to find out about the consultation.

UKIP Bradford supports the maintenance of local community pools and fully opposes possible plans to close them in favour of one central pool in the city centre.

The man to contact about the consultation is:
"If you have any queries please contact: John Coulton on 01274 438795 or email john.coulton@bradford.gov.uk"

Wednesday 4 March 2009

Pub Pressure steps up

T&A have now reported local publicans in Bradford are speaking out against the declining pub industry.

The report highlights that "Government figures show that 52 pubs have been lost in Bradford in four years."

"William Wagstaff, licensee of the New Beehive Inn in Westgate, will celebrate 20 years there next Sunday and says things have never been worse for the British pub.
“I have certainly weathered a few storms, and this is by far and away the worst the situation has ever been,” he said."

The pressure will be mounting on local Bradofrd MP Gerry Sutcliffe, as he is the licensing minister for the country.

UKIP Bradford will be kicking off their "save the pub campaign" to help focus a local voice for more help in the pub industry and bring pressure on MP Gerry Sutcliffe.


UKIP propose to cut duty/taxes on traditional draught beers such as real ale, ciders & some lagers

UKIP propose to allow the council to cut business rates on important community pubs (not just single, rural pubs of small rateable value as now)

UKIP would help finance nationally the excellent 'Pub is the Hub' initiative, which assists pubs in diversifying and encouraging social enterprise

UKIP would work with Sky TV to provide a fairer, non-monopolistic pricing structure

See the full UKIP Pub Policy Here: http://www.ukip.org/media/pdf/pubs.pdf
See the UKIP Camapign Website: http://www.savethepub.co.uk/

Tuesday 3 March 2009

Pub Closures in Yorkshire

Yorkshire Post have a piece on the problems facing local pubs in Yorkshire....

The report suggets 300 community pubs have closed their doors in Yorkshire in the past four years.

"Campaigners have pledged to making saving the nation's pubs as big a political issue as the fight to preserve post offices last year as 36 close their doors every week."

This couldn't have been better news for us in UKIP as we have recently produced a "pub policy" which we will be kicking off a campaign with in Bradford.

"figures released by the Commons all-party beer group...reveal 311 Yorkshire pubs have closed since the last General Election in June 2005"

UKIP Bradford will be targetting it's campaign in Bradford South, as that is where sitting MP Gerry Sutcliffe is also "Licensing Minister" for the country. We hope to gather loads of signatures and landords/ladys support upto the next general election, to put real pressure on him to help out instead of persecute our declining pub industry.

Watch out for UKIP beermats, petitions, posters and pub policies in your pubs around Bradford in the coming months! We will be aiming to meet every Landord/lady in Bradford South and have a good chat, and hopefully roll the campaign out around Bradford.

See the Campaign Website: http://www.savethepub.co.uk/
See the UKIP Pub Policy: http://www.ukip.org/media/pdf/pubs.pdf

Monday 2 March 2009

Going, going...not yet gone....

News on the Bradford Odeon!

Let's see.......ahhh, more hold ups.

A report from the T&A reveals there maybe "revisions" to the plans of demolishing the current Odeon which could trigger another public consulatition. Not that the council will listen as they ignored the "hug the odeon" event, the setup of the rescue group and the numerous petitions handed to them.

We must'nt forget that it is YORKSHIRE FORWARD that owns the property. A "regional development agency" that has a budget of millions, no accountability and are a symptom of the lack of transparency in local decision making.

These regional bureaucratic quangos must be abolished, freeing up more money for local services and handing more decision making back to local people.

Are we seeing another Westfield development? A multi-million pound, big project that will take years before anything happens and get any benefits from. Not to mention the demolition of the Odeon is widely un-popular.


UKIP Bradford Supports BORG (Bradford Odeon Rescue Group)

UKIP Bradford called for a local vote over the different plans for the Odeon