A PUB owner who lost his drinks licence for opening during lockdown could list Professor Chris Whitty and Matt Hancock as possible witnesses at an appeal hearing.

It is understood Paul Henderson has listed the chief medical officer and former health secretary on a roster of people he would like for proceedings over three days in March.

The Porky Pint, in Billingham, had its alcohol licence taken away by Stockton Council after breaking the rules and opening during last January’s lockdown.

The long-running saga saw the eatery open its doors in January as part of “Great Reopening” protests against covid measures.

The Northern Echo:

The Porky Pint in Billingham

A third national lockdown was announced on January 4 in the face of rising demand on the country’s hospitals.

The Porky Pint told the authorities it intended to open.

The move sparked visits from police and council licensing teams.

The authority’s statutory licensing sub committee eventually revoked the Mill Lane pub’s licence over the breaches.

Arguments were heard at Stockton Baptist Tabernacle in July – where Mr Henderson’s representatives told councillors he’d deliberately broken the law out of personal belief.

Mr Henderson said: “I made a political statement and sought to draw public attention to the devastation these laws have caused not just to small independent businesses, and particularly the hospitality sector, but to society at large.”

But barrister James Kemp, for Cleveland Police and the council, said it was not for people and licence holders to “pick and choose which bits they like and which bits they don’t” from the rules.

Mr Kemp said: “The law is there, whatever you may think, for a reason.

“It is there to control society – and in this case, in a pandemic, the control understandably had to be tightened.

“Why? – because you may die. It’s as simple as that.”

The licensing sub committee’s final verdict found Mr Henderson’s actions and behaviours were “extremely serious” – and that he’d “not given any thought to the community” in doing what he did.

Read more: Mary Foy writes to PM over Downing Street Christmas party

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated County Durham Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054