by Ewan Turney
The traditional unbranded Welsh pub is at the heart of a new advertising campaign by the Wales Tourist Board.
The new adverts, appearing in glossy magazines and Sunday paper supplements, depict a pub in rural South Wales with the slogan "Look, no theme".
The pub featured in the advert is the Plough and Harrow in Monknash in the Vale of Glam-organ. The advert highlights the fact that that Welsh pubs do not share a common theme and change their range of ales, menu and music all depending on what is good locally at the time.
The ad claims: "It's not easy describing your archetypal Welsh pub. They don't share a common theme. Unless you call chalkboards a common theme."
Wales tourist board spokes-man Mike Greenow said the idea of the campaign was to get closer to the "real Wales". He said: "We are a different country with our own language and culture but nevertheless we have a modern range of restaurants and pubs and quality chefs. Pubs bring together good food and quality standards."
Greenow said that although the adverts focused on traditional, rural, unbranded pubs there was also a market for the larger, branded, high-street operators. "There is a certain sector of society that enjoys those pubs and there is room for all in the spectrum," he said.
Plough and Harrow licensee Paula Jones, who runs the freehold pub with business partners David and Debbie Woodman, said she was "shocked" to see the adverts as the photos had been taken before their arrival. "We didn't know it was being used at all but it is fabulous," she said. "We are a real ale pub and constantly change our range of six guest ales along with serving up good, home-cooked food."