Rob Hylands, who runs Admiral Tavern’s lease the Foresters Arms, came in fourth as a Liberal Democrat in Gosport. Hylands failed to overturn a substantial Conservative majority of 14,413, with the UK Independence party in second place and Labour third.
The long-serving licensee remained upbeat about the result, saying: “It’s a difficult thing. However, looking at it nationally so many good candidates either lost their seats or didn’t even get their deposits back, so to keep my deposit and hold up about 7% of the vote is not too bad a result.
“Lib Dems are a solid and sturdy bunch in Gosport and I’m sure that there’s hope for the future and that we’ll bounce back.”
If elected, Hyland had planned to strengthen planning laws to ensure permission is required before a pub can be converted for another use.
Giles Wareham of the Rising Sun in Christian Malford stood as an independent candidate but failed to receive the 5% of votes necessary to get his £500 deposit back.
Wareham had hoped to drum up support from other licensees by promising to reduce VAT but found although receptive to the idea, publicans refused to put up campaign posters in their pubs for fear of upsetting Tory regulars.
He added: “Regardless of the result, it’s been the best month of my life with the exposure to so many new things. I would do it again, but perhaps start my campaigning earlier next time and not run as an independent.”
John Rackham, leaseholder at Staffordshire’s the Kings Head, stood for UKIP in Lichfield. Rackham received 8,082 votes, beating the Lib Dems by over 5,000 votes and closing in on Labour’s 10,200. However, Conservative Michael Fabricant, a former regular at the Kings Head, took the seat with a strong majority of 18,000.
The election proved more successful for pub campaigners, with former pubs minister Kris Hopkins, ‘pub champion’ Greg Mulholland and Beer Group chair Andrew Griffiths all successfully defending their seats.