THE landlords of three country pubs in the Staffordshire Moorlands have been told to install CCTV systems – or face losing their licence.

The warning was sounded by licensing officials last week after the latest in a series of swoops on pubs across the district.

The district council has made improved surveillance a condition of some pub licences. It refused to identify the three pubs involved.

But licensees say it is another expense when they are struggling for trade because of the economic downturn and ban on smoking in public places.

Pub landlord Peter Wilkinson, below, who runs the Raddle Inn at Hollington, near Tean, installed CCTV five years ago. But it did not prevent a break-in at his pub earlier this year.

He said it should be up to individual landlords whether to install cameras, which could cost in excess of £3,000.

He said: "Times are tough as it is. It is surely down to the individual licensee whether to install cameras. It is just another expense.

"I have got CCTV and it did not stop my place being burgled. They come into the pubs with hoods and scarves and they are not deterred by CCTV.

"I think it would be better if a burglar alarm was made a condition of a licence, especially if it was an auto-dialler system. It is cheaper and more effective."

John Bailey, landlord of the Talbot Inn, in Watt Place, Cheadle, said his trade had been cut by a third since the introduction of the smoking ban, and he could not afford to incur any more expenses.

Mr Bailey, who has run the pub for 21 years, said: "I do not personally feel the need to have CCTV, because of the size of the pub, and it is not cheap. As far as I know there are not many pubs in Cheadle which have it.

"I think it is all part of a Government directive to close down small country pubs and make it easier to police.

"It is Big Brother slowly creeping in."

Landlord of the Royal Oak at Dilhorne, Mike Cunningham, said: "It was not a prerequisite of my insurance. We are in the heart of the country and I do not see any need for CCTV. I have got a dog and a burglar alarm and that is a good deterrent."

Vice-chairman of the district council's licensing sub-committee, Julie Bull, said CCTV could be made a condition of a pub licence. She said: "Each premises licence does have a set of conditions – if their condition is that they provide CCTV then that establishment is breaking the law if they continue to trade without it."

The swoops were carried out by Staffordshire County Council trading standards officers, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council licensing officials and Staffordshire Police.