Pub’s relief at BNP no show

A licensee has spoken of her relief after her pub avoided being the scene of a clash between British National Party (BNP) supporters and anti-fascists.

Last week The Publican revealed how the licensees at the Whitmore Arms in Orsett, Essex, were shocked to discover literature had been distributed in the area suggesting a BNP meeting was being held at the pub. Anti-fascists had also warned that they would turn up on Saturday to confront BNP members.

Victoria Steadman, who runs the pub with her mum Margaret Orman, said: “Luckily nothing happened on the night but it did result in our takings being down by about a quarter. There was a big police presence in the village which we were really grateful for. Hopefully this is an end to it all now and we can just get on with running our business.”

The Publican

More info here.

BNP's dirty tricks campaign goes too far

Back in April, the BNP was criticised by Margaret Orman, the licensee of the Whitmore Arms in the Essex village of Orsett, for including a picture of her pub on one of their tatty leaflets used, in that particular instance, in the doomed campaign to elect Derek Beackon, the BNP's first-ever councillor originally elected to Tower Hamlets council way back in 1993.

Mrs Orman was uncompromising in her criticism of the far-right party. She said at the time: 'It's making us look like we're supporting what they are doing and we certainly don't...that man (Beackon) hasn't even had the courtesy to walk through the door and introduce himself.'

Just a week ago, Mrs Orman was back in the news, reacting angrily after leaflets were delivered to neighbouring properties stating that the party was planning to hold a meeting on her premises this coming Saturday. Again, her response was very much to the point.

'I’m really upset about this. I heard they were distributing leaflets and immediately went out to confront some representatives of the BNP who were putting out a different leaflet. They said the meeting leaflet had nothing to do with them but I don’t believe them. It’s disgraceful that they can slur my name by association with their views.'

The leaflet that was delivered on this occasion looked to target local Conservatives and was being held, it said, for 'Orsett residents who oppose the local Conservative councillor’s plans to diversify the village with ethnic minorities'.

Shortly after seeing this, Mrs Orman received an email from a group claiming to be local anti-fascists. It stated 'unless you call off this event we will arrive at your pub in huge numbers and disrupt the meeting'.

We have been unable to find any evidence that local anti-fascists have contacted the pub at all and even if we had, we're damn sure they wouldn't have written in such terms. And, it seems, they didn't. Earlier today, we received a comment to the most recent article on the blog regarding the Whitmore Arms. It said:

'I know for a fact that the party booked in under a fake name just to cause aggro to the landlady because she pissed them off a few months back when she complained about them. Either they actually booked or just said they booked I dont know. There were no antifast calls to the pub threataning violence either. Same thing, to piss her off.'

If the BNP has indeed booked the pub, it certainly won't be under its own name - most likely it will be as English Heritage, British Heritage, the Trafalgar Club or some name related to the BNP's idea of all that stands for England, containing one or more of the following words, Excalibur, Nelson, Victory, Christian or St George. Lacking the courage to stand up for its own convictions (possibly because its members have so many), it rarely books meetings in the name of the party.

That the party has apparently targeted the Whitmore Arms, angry at Mrs Ormans outburst at its picture being used in the BNP's 'literature', is outrageous. Whether this action has been instigated locally or nationally and whether or not it has been sanctioned by the local branch of the BNP is a matter that should be ascertained without delay and the offending officers/members should be thrown out of the party immediately. If possible, criminal charges should be brought against those responsible - Mrs Orman has deliberately and maliciously been subjected to 'harassment, distress or alarm' as defined under Section 5 of the Public Order Act.

We've seen the BNP's dirty tricks in the past - as active anti-fascists we've come to expect them - but using them on an unwitting member of the public whose only crime is to have been annoyed by the party being its usual underhand self, is despicable.

Landlady's anger over BNP meeting claim

The landlady of a popular village pub has reacted angrily after the controversial British National Party posted leaflets through neighbouring doors saying they were going to hold a meeting on her premises.

It is not the first time Margaret Orman, landlady of the Whitmore Arms in Orsett, has been at odds with the far right group. Earlier this year they used a picture of the pub, without authorisation, as an iconic symbol of ‘middle England’ in their election literature.

Now the BNP says it has organised a meeting in the pub on Saturday, September 13 when there will be speakers denouncing the local Conservative councillors.

Mrs Orman says she has not given permission for the meeting, nor would she tolerate holding one on her premises. She said: “I’m really upset about this. I heard they were distributing leaflets and immediately went out to confront some representatives of the BNP who were putting out a different leaflet. They said the meeting leaflet had nothing to do with them but I don’t believe them. It’s disgraceful that they can slur my name by association with their views.

“I’ve spoken to the police about it but they say they have done nothing wrong but it can’t be right that they are using the name of our business, that we have built up over many years, to help promote their nasty views. I will not be allowing them to meet or speak on our premises and I would like to make it clear to everyone in Orsett and in Thurrock that we do not support the BNP in any way.”

Thurrock Gazette

Landlady's anger over BNP publicity pictures

An award-winning pub has been pictured on a BNP leaflet prompting an angry response from its landlady.

Margaret Orman, who is landlady at the family-run Whitmore Arms in Orsett, was livid when a copy of the leaflet came through the pub door. The leaflet entitled Orsett Patriot' shows the British National Party candidate for Orsett, Derek Beackon, standing outside the pub.

Mrs Orman, 64, said: "It's making us look like we're supporting what they are doing and we certainly don't. I wouldn't let any political party use my business to advertise. What are our customers going to think. That man (Derek Beackon) hasn't even had the courtesy to walk through the door and introduce himself."

Mrs Orman has branded the leaflet as "cheap" publicity and said she wouldn't let any political party associate itself with the Whitmore Arms.

She said: "I'm so angry. We've got a very successful business and it's like they are trying to jump on the bandwagon. Of all the places they could have taken a picture of why here? They should not use a commercial business of any description and advertise their political views.

Margaret is planning to pin the leaflet, which was distributed throughout Orsett, on the front of the pub with a line through it and a notice saying the Whitmore Arms does not support the BNP.

Derek Beackon, who came to national prominence in 1993 when he became the BNP's first ever councillor, winning a by-election in Tower Hamlets, said: "It's just a local landmark that everyone knows. You can have your photo taken anywhere. However, looking back on it I'm not surprised she is upset. It's her livelihood and I can understand that she doesn't want to be associated with us. We were not trying to say she or the pub is associated with the BNP."

Thurrock Gazette