PUBLICANS have attacked a cancer charity's campaign which urges people to give up alcohol in October.

 

They claim Macmillan Cancer Support's Go Sober for October initiative was a threat to the livelihood of pubs at a vulnerable time.

In an open letter to the charity, licensee Frank Murphy, owner of the Pot Still pub in Glasgow, said: "I fail to understand why Macmillan would threaten the business of every licensed premises across the UK.

"This campaign encourages people to stop purchasing from a sector of the economy that could do without this cashflow worry in the quiet month."

A Macmillan spokeswoman said: "While Go Sober for October is aimed at social drinkers and may affect the amount of alcohol consumed in pubs during October, we are not encouraging long-term teetotallers or asking people to give up alcohol forever."