A PUB landlord has hit back at claims that his pricing policy is contributing to violence in the town.

Last week Darren Reynolds, the manager of Friars Court, said that licensees need to stop the sale of cheap drinks to improve the reputation of Warrington town centre.

Mr Reynolds said that some venues only make money from door revenue, because their drinks are so cheap, and that places like Reef, Level and Postern Gate, which are owned by Enterprise Inns, sell products at cost price and charge £3 on the door to make money.

The Warrington Guardian put this to a spokesman for Enterprise Inns, who said they had spoken to its retail manager, but declined to comment.

However, Steven Montague, the licensee of Friars Gate, says he was not asked for his opinion and that this is strictly not true.

He said: "We don't charge to come in and we don't sell cheap drinks.

"How the licence holder runs his premises is not up to Enterprise Inns, it is up to them.

"We have got a premium business here and we are not in the business of 50p drinks and 75p drinks and I don't want to be classed in that.

"I take it very, very seriously. We conduct ourselves in a prudent and proper manner."

The landlord says that his pub is run completely differently' to Reef and Level and that while it may offer cheap drinks between 5pm and 8pm it does not run such promotions up until midnight or through the night.

He added: "I take a great pride in that we don't have any trouble here.

"The police have never been called here in the 12 months I have been here.

"Our priority is that people come in and they feel safe.

"We hold the customer's well-being as paramount and if there is any sign of disruption these people are asked to leave."