Proud of Pubs Week 2009 - doing our trade proud

Pubs, politicians and punters up and down the land have all been raising a glass to Proud of Pubs Week.

The third year of the event proved the biggest and best yet, with licensees refusing to wallow in the doom and gloom of recession - and instead focusing on the things that make pubs great.

We urged licensees to put on a Proud of Pubs night, raise money for charity, get their local MP or a celebrity into the pub, establish an online community or try something new - and we were far from disappointed.

The White Swan Inn, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, got fully involved in the week, which ran from July 11 to 19, by putting on a host of events including a salsa night and launching the 'I love Dunstable' campaign to make their town a better place.

Declan Duggan, who has been the pub's licensee for 20 years, said: "People want their local to be a place of social interaction - this is what we provide and we are proud of this."

At the Guide Dog in Southampton, morris dancers gave a display and customers and staff went on a day trip to the nearby Flowerpots Brewery.

Meanwhile, Everards tenant Ian Adcock, who runs the Heathcote Arms in Croft, Leicestershire, with his wife Julie, used the event to raise funds by staging a charity cricket match.

"Julie's mum is currently undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer," he said. "When we found out, it was devastating. 

"To emphasise our support for the charity the pub team agreed to wear pink T-shirts and bras for the match. We hoped it might distract the other players, but they managed to beat us nevertheless!"

And keeping on the cricketing theme, Marston's promotional team the Maidens visited The Publican's offices - showing their support for both the campaign and English cricket.

Food fun

Elsewhere, at the White Horse in Bedford, customers enjoyed a Lithuanian night that included speciality food and music. The pub's licensees Sue Anstead and husband Nigel were also celebrating during the week when they picked up the Proud of Pubs Award at the annual All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group dinner for their efforts.

John Bellinger, licensee at Hook Norton tenancy the Bell Inn in Adderbury, Oxfordshire, put on a steak night and the first in a series of regular bingo nights, and invited local MP Tony Baldry in for a pint.

The Bell Inn was one of scores of pubs to be visited by their local MP during the week - as well as showing customers the best things about pubs, the event is also about informing the powers-that-be of the contribution the trade makes to society.

After attending the Proud of Pubs Week launch in Parliament, licensees Keris and Lee De Villiers hosted their local MP Martin Linton at their pub, the Nightingale in Balham, South London.

And while he was there, Linton enjoyed a pint of Proud of Pubs Best - the beer The Publican brewed with celebrity licensees and brewers Neil Morrissey and Richard Fox.

Other MPs visiting local pubs included licensing minister Gerry Sutcliffe, former Tory leader Michael Howard, who visited the Guildhall in Folkestone, and Lib Dem shadow culture secretary and Bath MP Don Foster, who sported a Proud of Pubs badge as he spoke to Green Park Tavern licensee Myles Gallagher.

Proud of Pubs Week might be over for another year, but the Proud of Pubs campaign marches on.

For more information visit: www.thepublican.com/proudofpubs​