'Most famous pub in the world' after a pint and a giggle with China's president

Steve Hollings welcomed the PM - who visits 'often' - and  Xi Jinping to the The Plough in Cadsden last week.

He told the PMA​: “The president was a true gentleman. We had a bit of a giggle, spoke about China and told a few stories.

“David Cameron’s favourite drink is Greene King IPA, so they both drank one with a small portion of fish and chips. The president thoroughly enjoyed it.”

The pair chose not to over indulge as they were due for a banquet in Chequers soon after.

“It was amazing, a great honour. I imagine we’re the most famous pub in the world at the moment. China has 1.3 billion people, and it’s been the top story there all week,” Hollings said.

A few of the Plough's regulars were present during the visit, but only those well known to the licensee for security reasons.

Hollings continued: “I’ve been doing this all my life, and I never thought in a million years I’d have the president of China here. He was a charming man. The prime minister comes here quite a lot, but it was the first time he’s brought a world leader!”

This is not the first time a pub has catered for a president, as in January 2014 David Cameron took French president Francois Holllande to The Swan Inn in his constituency – Witney.

And in 2003 the then prime minister Tony Blair took president George Bush and his wife to the Dunn Cow Inn, where they also ate fish and chips. Blair had previously taken Jacques Chirac and Lionel Jospin to the same pub.