A BOLTON town centre pub that is a traditional meeting place for gay men has put a bar on lesbians.

Bolton's Lesbian Line group says that when they met to hold their regular social at the Star in Bow Street they were told by licensee Barry Collins they could not longer meet there.

Group member Sue Hale said Mr Collins told the outraged women that if they went into his pub in groups of more than three, it would constitute a meeting and his staff would refuse to serve them.

Sue stormed: "We have been meeting in the pub for nearly nine months and there's never been any trouble.

"The landlord told us that we were putting off his male clients and he was losing business but I'm not convinced. At the end of the day our money is as good as the next person's."

When the BEN spoke to Mr Collins, he agreed that he had barred the group from meeting in his pub and had said he would not serve lesbians in groups of more than three.

But he went further and said that all the members of Lesbian Line who were in his pub on Thursday night were now banned. Mr Collins said: "They don't like me but I'm running this pub and I run it the way I see fit.

"After a conversation I had with members of the Line on Thursday I decided to ban them and their meeting. It's just not worth it.

"The lads don't like them coming in here in large groups - it puts them off and I lose business.

"Other lesbians are still welcome but I don't want them coming in here in groups of more than three as I will lose my regulars."

Mr Collins said lesbians and gays in Bolton do not really mix.

Bolton Lesbian Line, which offers a phone information hotline in the town every Thursday night (Bolton 394610), has been operating in the town for 10 years.

It offers advice, information and support for lesbians from all over the North West.

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