Lancashire publican delighted to receive House of Commons invite

Carol Cadwallader, of the Pack Horse Inn, Birtle, Bury, initially contacted Jim Dobbin, MP for Heywood and Middleton to see if he would drop by to gain an insight into the pub trade.

Last week the MP spent two hours pulling pints, chatting to customers and talking to Cadwallader about industry issues including the smoking ban, beer taxes, VAT, the current economic climate and supermarket prices.

Dobbin then invited Cadwallader and her husband John to have a drink with him in the House of Commons.

“It was a very nice surprise,” Cadwallader told the Publican's Morning Advertiser. “He asked me to give him a call and arrange a date that’s convenient for me. I originally invited him to my pub because I felt if politicians were deciding issues on the pub trade, they should take the time to support us from our side.

“Jim was very supportive and said the visit gave him an insight into how publicans and customers are thinking which he could take back to the committee.”

Dobbin also presented Cadwallader with a signed bottle of House of Commons whisky, which she plans to raffle off for charity.