A LANDLADY is refusing to take her St George’s Day flags down despite complaints from a customer.

Kate Umpleby said a customer walked into the Foresters Arms, in Coatham Mundeville, near Darlington, and asked her to take down her St George’s Day celebratory flags.

She said: “The customer said he was offended and said I shouldn’t be doing it.”

Miss Umpleby said the complaint had not deterred her from marking St George’s Day today.

“I’m certainly not taking the flags down,” she said. “In fact, I am planning on putting more up. This is a traditional English pub, I’m proud to be English.”

Meanwhile, a North-East flag shop reported a brisk trade in flags ahead of St George’s Day.

Jo Thwaite, of Harrison Brothers Steeplejacks, said this year’s economic woes had not impacted on sales.

She said: “We are seeing a bigger demand this year.”