Chorley artist sets out to save our pubs

23 June 2016

Neil Bennison's project highlights the decline in British pubs

A Chorley-based graphic design artist has come up with a novel way of using his talent to raise awareness of the decline in pubs across the country.

Neil Bennison, a mature student at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), created the Save Our Pubs campaign as part of his final year Graphic Design project, responding to the brief of taking a cause and using typography to get an important message across.

With an estimated 27 pubs closing across Britain each week according to the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), Neil used the logos of a range of beers combined with relevant statistics to produce a series of posters to highlight the problem.

The 35-year-old previously studied Art and Design at Runshaw College and embarked on the UCLan course after a friend recommended it.

Neil’s work has been on display as part of UCLan’s annual degree show which showcases the final year work of students from architecture, design, fashion and art courses. 

For his final year project, he also produced a video of characters voiced by UCLan staff and students created using the Letraset font, to mark the famous transfer sheet lettering’s 60th anniversary.

As a result, Neil’s work has been nominated for a prestigious Design & Art Direction (D&AD) award and he’ll find out if he’s been successful on July 7.

Following graduation next month, Neil would like to be a graphic designer full time, with ambitions to eventually emigrate to Australia or New Zealand with his family.

Neil said: “UCLan has given me the chance to do what I love most, gaining experience and knowledge from the tutors and enabling me to hopefully make a career out of my passion. It’s been a fantastic experience.”

Watch Neil’s Letraset video on YouTube.