Standing tall

It was the week when the pub trade stood tall.

And it was the week when few in Parliament would have failed to hear the proud message of the pub trade.

As Proud of Pubs Week gathered steam across the country, MPs were taking part in two key events in Westminster.

On Monday some of the nation's leading licensees came together with MPs at the official launch of the week in the House of Commons, hosted by Publican​ columnist and pub trade campaigner Greg Mulholland MP.

And on Tuesday, MPs from across the House came together to take up the Proud of Pubs team's invitation to join them for a pint in their own local - the Red Lion on Parliament Street - to find out more about the true story behind pubs.

About the millions of pounds that pubs raise for charity.

About the services they provide to communities up and down the land.

And about the fact that pubs, above all, are the true homes of responsible drinking.

Speaking at the Monday event, Greg Mulholland said it was time there was more of a recognition from the government of the role pubs play in society at large.

He called on the government to do "an awful lot more" to help the pub trade in the current climate.

"There is no doubt that Labour could do more to help stop the pub industry becoming a thing of the past," the Lib Dem told the audience of licensees and MPs.

"Pubs are an absolutely fundamental part of who we are as a nation.

"There are a large number of us who are campaigning on behalf of the great British pub and the important part they play in serving communities. But that's a message that often does not get through."

The Publican's mission

The second Proud of Pubs Week has been another stage of The Publican's ongoing mission to turn that around.

Also speaking at the Monday reception, The Publican's​ managing editor Daniel Pearce said the Proud of Pubs campaign had already helped take the industry through some difficult times since its launch in 2005 - and described how Proud of Pubs Week would continue to build in the years to come.

He added: "These are challenging times for the industry, but publicans can't afford to be too down about it.

"Above all the message of today is that publicans have to show pride in our industry, to stand tall - so hopefully more people will pop into the pub to find out exactly what they are so proud about."

During the reception BII Licensee of the Year Christopher Lewis of the Swan in Stafford told The Publican: "As we all know the trade is finding times particularly hard at the moment and anything we can do to raise our profile in a positive way has got to be good for the industry."

Joe Cussens of the Marlborough Tavern in Bath - winner of the Newcomer of the Year award at last year's Publican Pub Food Awards - said: "Proud of Pubs Week is a really great initiative. It puts pubs on the radar for politicians, who are the people who can really make a difference."

More than 100 MPs were due to visit their local last Friday (July 18) to find out more. n

• Thanks to Fuller's and Britvic for supplying drinks to the House of Commons reception.

...and around the country

North Wales licensee Kimberley McGibbon really reached for the sky during Proud of Pubs Week - with a radio interview from a helicopter flight over her pub!

The interview, on Chester's Dee 106.3 station, marked the beginning of a week of activity at the Fox & Grapes in Hawarden, North Wales.

Other events saw the pub feature a Great British Pub Grub night, which included a Proud of Pubs specials menu and a series of cellar tours for customers.

"It was fantastic - the interviewer asked me about the supermarket beer prices and I explained all about the second year of Proud of Pubs Week," said Kimberley, who also runs the Bluebell pub in the village.

"I encouraged all the listeners to get down to the pub during the week - and told them to use it or lose it."