Ian was a highly respected publican of many years and also a formidable campaigner, first of all with Licensees Supporting Licensees and Protect Pubs and then playing a key role in founding the Campaign for Pubs and acting as its first Secretary. Ian was a key supporter of the Fair Deal for Your Local campaign that succeeded in getting legislation to introduce the Pubs Code and was at Parliament on the day of the historic vote for a “market rent only” option in November 2014, against a three-line Government Whip

Ian’s passion for pubs was matched with a zeal for fairness and justice, and he gave huge amounts of his own time advising other publicans, as well as highlighting the malpractice of the large pub companies and assisting in campaigning for a better deal for pub tenants. He was also passionate about pub protection and also gave very generously of his own time in order to support and advise many community campaigns that were fighting to save individual local pubs.

Ian was well known for his no-nonsense approach both to running his pubs and to campaigning and had a remarkable commitment to the ongoing campaign for fairness in the sector. He worked tirelessly to protect pubs and assist publicans, both publicly and privately, and all those he helped deeply valued his experience and advice.
Ian will be sorely missed by fellow campaigners as well as family and friends, and the loss of the extraordinarily comprehensive pub-campaigning information service he provided via Facebook will be a real blow to the whole online community of pub campaigners. The Campaign for Pubs will continue to honour Ian’s memory by campaigning to support, promote and protect the nation’s important pubs and to fight for a fairer more independent sector.

Commenting, Campaign director of the Campaign for Pubs, Greg Mulholland said:

“The Campaign for Pubs is deeply saddened at the untimely death of our Director and founding member, Ian Lock.

“Ian was a formidable campaigner who spent hours of his own time fighting for a fairer deal for publicans, campaigning against the unfair pubco model and supporting publicans and communities trying to save their local pub.

“Ian was enthusiastic about setting up the Campaign for Pubs, to better represent pubs, publicans and pub campaigners and we hope that it will be part of his legacy that we build on the campaigning over recent years and support and save pubs. Our condolences, thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends”.

Dawn Hopkins, Vice Chair of the Campaign for Pubs said:

“I am shocked and devastated to hear of Ian’s passing.

“I first got to know Ian through his tireless campaigning for pubs and his dogged determination to improve the lives of all in his beloved pub industry. His passion was such that his knowledge of pubs and publicans up and down the country was totally incomparable.

“Ian was a kind and generous man, who took the time to give advice, support, and hope whenever he could. He will be deeply missed by so many, and I offer my sincere condolences to his family”.

ENDS