MOST people will know that it is St George's Day next Wednesday. But they might not have realised that the anniversary of another 'patron saint' is being marked the day before.

Tuesday is the anniversary of Peter Yates's birthday. And Yates's Wine Lodge in Bolton will be holding celebrations to pay tribute to the unofficial 'patron saint' of wine drinkers.

On the day bottles of a special edition anniversary port will be on sale over the bar and samples will be available in the Bradshawgate pub for Tuesday only.

Peter Yates, who died in 1944 was a pioneering Lancashire wine merchant who led the way in the import business and founded the wine lodge chain.

By the 1930s he had established branches around the major towns and cities of the North and Midlands.

He also became famous for his wise words to drinkers such as "Wine is a good servant but a bad master" and "Moderation is true temperance."

As well as a successful businessman Peter gained a reputation as a keen social reformer and during the recession of the 1930s, queues formed outside wine lodges for bowls of soup sold at 1d a time.

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