Thursday 7 August 2014

Membership has its privileges

At last I've discovered a reason to live in Greater Manchester. Paul Heaton of the Housemartins and the Beautiful South is part owner of the Kings Arms in Salford, which has decided to designate Fridays as "Trade Union Friday", with discounted drinks on production of a union membership card.

Paul Heaton has had a close working relationship with the GMB union in recent years. His latest tour was sponsored by the GMB and he played on the main stage at this year’s Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival in Dorset. He originally offered discounts to strikers during the last industrial action, and then decided to make the discount permanent, saying: “I’ve done a bit of work with the GMB and liked them a lot. So I’ve bitten the bullet and said as long as they’re out fighting for change, I should show my appreciation to all of those men and women who are keeping the Tories on their toes.”

In 2011, the GMB pointed out the fact that the cost of beer has risen much faster than inflation, a point I have made several times myself, most recently in May this year.

The Kings Arms is at 11 Bloom Street, Salford, M3 6AN, close to Salford Central railway station.

4 comments:

  1. sounds like the type of innovative private enterprise dear old Maggie would applaud.

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  2. Good old CL: the world would be boring if we all had the same perspective!

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  3. I'm a big fan of Paul Heaton and the Beautiful South. I didn't know he had a stake in a pub. If I'm ever up Salford way (and I ought to pay the place a visit sometime, as I was at University there), I'll call in at the King's Arms. I won't be entitled to claim any discount though!

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  4. Who needs a reason to live in GM? We had craft beer before it was a twinkle in London's eye.

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