Fellow councillors reacted in shock when Clr Fred Smith announced the news at Monday's town council meeting but they refused to let him resign from the council as well.

Clr Smith, who owns Cats Bar in Wheelock Street, said he felt he could not continue as a councillor after losing his Pubwatch position.

Speaking at the meeting he said: "I'm going to have to resign from the town council and I'm a bit disgusted to be honest.

"I tried to attend a function at the British Legion but I was told I was barred."

He added: "The day before a friend's wedding I was barred from the premises because they felt I would start fighting and cause trouble, which I think is a disgrace.

"It has serious implications now because I have to stand down as chairman of Pubwatch - I can't hold the position while being barred from any establishment and I feel I'm going to have to stand down from the council as well."

Clr Alison Roylance-White said: "I'm shocked - I had no inkling this was coming up and I would rather you didn't resign at this stage because there's a lot more to come out about this.

"I think you add an air to council meetings and a different perspective - you're on the ground and people come and talk to you."

Clr Simon McGrory said: "I feel it's extremely sad and it takes your breath away that this could happen to the chairman of the Pubwatch scheme."

Councillors said they would support Clr Smith and look into the matter for further clarification.

No one from the Middlewich branch of the Royal British Legion, in Lewin Street, was available for comment as the Guardian went to press yesterday, Tuesday.

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