Wirral Pub Owner Renames Venue in Digital ID Protest

A New Brighton publican has rebranded his establishment in opposition to government proposals for digital identification, drawing parallels with George Orwell’s surveillance-themed novel 1984.

Dan Davies, owner of The James Atherton on Victoria Road, has renamed the pub The George Orwell as part of a wider protest against mandatory digital ID plans currently under consideration by government.

The businessman, known for regenerating New Brighton’s Victoria Quarter, has a track record of using his venues to make political statements. In 2020, he temporarily renamed The James Atherton to a “rather controversial name” in response to Covid-19 lockdown measures, attracting national media coverage.

Davies has extended the literary theme across other Victoria Road properties, renaming buildings The Ministry of Truth and The Ministry of Love – both references to institutions in Orwell’s dystopian novel about state surveillance and control.

The rebranding has generated significant local interest, with images circulating widely on social media platforms.

The timing coincided with organised protests in Liverpool, including a Saturday rally against digital ID proposals and Sunday’s Farmers to Action campaign demonstration, both staged to align with the Labour Party Conference taking place in the city.

The activity has backing from Together Association, a campaign organisation that previously collected 360,000 signatures opposing vaccine passport proposals in 2021.

Alan Miller, Together’s co-founder, said the group opposes what he described as a “Biometric State Surveillance System,” calling on the public to reject digital ID plans.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has defended digital identification proposals, arguing they would enable authorities to “know exactly who is working in our economy” and support enforcement of existing regulations.

Davies, whose property developments have incorporated street art as a defining feature of the Victoria Quarter regeneration, said the protest aims to highlight concerns about state monitoring.

“This is about waking people up. We don’t want a future where every part of our lives is monitored and controlled,” he stated.

Digital ID requirements could have operational implications for licensed premises if implemented, potentially affecting age verification processes and right-to-work checks for hospitality staff. The sector currently relies on physical documents for both regulatory compliance and licensing requirements.