OUTSPOKEN street drinking critic, cllr Mike Cuthbert-Murray, has come under fire from the town’s Pubwatch scheme for his “constant public denigration of Westbury”.
A row has erupted between PubWatch and members of Westbury Town Council after cllr Cuthbert-Murray – the town council’s representative to the scheme – was expelled from the group last Wednesday. The group claim that his vocal opposition to a persistent group of street drinkers in the town has given Westbury a bad name and damaged trade.
Members of the town council counter that cllr Cuthbert-Murray was legitimately raising a valid public concern.
PubWatch chairman, Mike Jackson, said that complaints by cllr Cuthbert-Murray and Mayor of Westbury, cllr Sue Ezra, regarding street drinking were creating the impression that there was such an unruly element in the town that it was unsafe.
“They are elected representatives of the town but between them they are doing a pretty good job of getting the Market Place closed down,” said Mike Jackson.
“With the economy how it is, our members need all the help they can get, not have customers driven away by people saying that the Market Place is unsafe.”
He continued, “The days of ‘Wild Wild Westbury’ are long over. If it was as bad as he says, why would our members be putting chairs out in the Market Place and encouraging the cafe culture? If it was really that bad we’d be having them thrown back in through the windows!
“We consider that his constant appearances and self-promotion in the media, whereby he alleges prostitution and lawlessness in our town are unsubstantiated and very damaging to the reputation of both the licensed trade and the town in general. It’s driving people away.”
Standing by his claims, cllr Cuthbert Murray said he had been congratulated by members of the public for his efforts. Town beat manager PC Holt recently stated that the problem with street drinkers had now “largely been resolved”.
Cllr Cuthbert-Murray, said, “I raised the issue publicly because I’d been requested to by the public, and by publicans as well. I am quite saddened by the publicans’ response now that it has appeared in the press.”
The town and Wiltshire councillor said that he felt wholly justified to have raised the issue in the local media. “One of the street drinkers actually came up to me and said thank you, because now he’s getting the help he needs,” he said.
The councillor, who learned of his expulsion through the White Horse News said, “I’d like to thank the members of PubWatch for the ‘courtesy’ of not contacting me or letting me know that they’ve expelled me from their group.
“I’m going to be contacting my lawyers because they have definitely libelled me.”
Cllr Russell Hawker, chair of the Westbury Area Board, said in support of his fellow councillor, “As far as I am concerned, this is extremely bad behaviour on the part of a self-interested industry body that has gone to the media in an attempt to malign a very busy councillor with a twisted tale as if he has done something wrong.
“I am appalled at the bad behaviour of Westbury Pub Watch in trying to slime a councillor via the media – and without discussing the matter with the councillor first – for successfully doing his job.”
