http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2805254
Speed Cameras Leave Brewery Boss Bitter
By Paul Watson, PA News
A brewery boss has named one of his ales Highway Robbery in a protest over speed cameras.
Dave Roberts, who has been caught twice by cameras, said the name reflected what many people thought about the controversial cameras being purely money-making gadgets.
The 38-year-old, who runs the independent Northumberland Brewery in Bedlington, said the new hand-pulled real ale was proving a hit with drinkers and his first batch sold out within a week.
It is now being sold across the North East, Scotland and the North West through the free houses he supplies.
The pump crest shows a speed camera dressed up as a highway robber, which he feels sums up the idea.
Mr Roberts said: ?Stagecoaches used to run from York to Edinburgh and highwaymen would rob them.
?Now you can get robbed and not even know about it until the letter comes through the post for £60.
?Both myself and my delivery driver have been caught and while I agree with speed cameras in built-up areas, it?s when they put them in places where traffic runs normally that I get annoyed.
?The vans are the main concern as people tend to slam the brakes on whenever they see a white van parked up and most of the time it is not even a camera van.
?People are really supportive of this beer and it?s selling out.
?We are brewing it week in and week out and it?s going really well.?
Ray King, project manager for the Northumbria Safety Camera Partnership, denied cameras were there to make money out of unsuspecting drivers.
?We don?t want to catch people out, we want to slow them down.
?The money goes to central government and we can only reclaim what is spent on camera enforcement and training and education initiatives.
?No money can be spent by the police and local authorities on anything other than that.?
He added that the siting of fixed cameras was determined by accident statistics over the years.
?Fixed cameras can only be sited where there has been at least four collisions in the past three years which have resulted in fatalities or serious injuries.?
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I've been talking with Dave Roberts, the brewery boss. Here's the logo:
And I have already sent out the following supporting Safe Speed PR:
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PR118: Real ale, real issues. It's Highway Robbery!
News: for immediate release
Northumberland Brewery have announced the availability of a new ale
called "Highway Robbery". This follows a couple of chance encounters
between the Dave Roberts, the brewery boss, and speed cameras.
Dave said: "This is my small protest against unnecessary and unwanted
road side mugging machines."
The pump crest shows a speed camera in Dick Turpin guise complete with
eye patch and twin pistols.
Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign said: "I
hope Dave's protest brings the real issues to a wider audience. It's
about time that the Government owned up to the fact that they have
destroyed the earlier excellent trends in UK road safety."
Paul continues: "It's great to see that the British spirit for light
hearted yet effective protest is alive and well and living in
Northumberland. We wish Dave Roberts and his team every success with
the new beer."
Dave said: "Stagecoaches used to run from York to Edinburgh and
highwaymen would rob them. Now you can get robbed and not even know
about it until the letter comes through the post demanding £60!"
Notes for editors
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Contact Northumberland Brewery:
Dave Roberts
tel: 01670 822112
email:
dave@northumberlandbrewery.co.uk
web:
http://www.northumberlandbrewery.co.uk
Highway Robbery pump logo:
http://www.safespeed.org.uk/northumberland001.jpg
And the logo in high res
http://www.safespeed.org.uk/northumberland002.jpg
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Nice one Dave!