Thanks go out to The Stirrer, who followed up my story on the impending closure of The Lagoon Public House in Tipton by speaking to its licencee, who I can now confirm is, indeed, Councillor James Lloyd, the leader of the BNP group on Sandwell Council.

The BNP councillor who runs one of the most notorious pubs in the Black Country has called time in his efforts to keep it open after fights on the premises involving guns and machetes – news that will shake the party’s claim to be tough on law and order.

James Lloyd who runs the Lagoon in his own Princes End ward in Tipton told The Stirrer last night that he probably wouldn’t even turn up at a meeting of Sandwell’s licensing justices today where it’s future is due to be discussed.

The police want the place shut, and Lloyd who has been the licensee for two years told us:  “I’ve only got 12 months left on the lease, and I’ve run out of steam with the place.”

He said that the pub wouldn’t re-open after closing time last night.

A nice, easy decision for the licencing panel that meets today, then, and welcome news for the local community.
None of this, of course, addresses the question of why the Express & Star appear to have soft-pedalled the BNP connection to this story, but its nice to see that at least one local journalist knows how to do their job properly.