Let's enjoy St George's Day

Did you see that State of the Nation poll a week or so ago, the one that showed how bad we feel about ourselves and our country? It made for really depressing reading. Nearly two-thirds of people feel Britain is a worse place to live than it was five years ago. Over half believe it will be an even worse place to live in five years' time.

Rudeness, bad language, yobs, poor service and telephone call centres are the daily gripes that irritate us most about everyday life. And our biggest personal worries are levels of immigration,

anti-social behaviour, terrorism and our finances.

Government is understandably concerned about this malaise gripping the nation. Its response is to set up think tanks that can analyse what's being called SWB - a personal Sense of Wellbeing - and then tell us to do this or that.

Strikes me they could cut through it all and save shedloads of money if they saw the answer staring them in the face: Go To A Decent Pub More Often.

"Happiness experts" tell us that chats with friends and neighbours and more time socialising are strongly linked to contentment.

But what is the pub if not the greatest device yet invented for providing warmth, companionship and a sense of community to friends and neighbours?

Sometimes, these statements of the obvious are the ones that, because they're so obvious, never get made. Which is why the rumours of a major industry advertising campaign to publicise the pub are so exciting. Bring it on, please, BBPA, ALMR. BII and every other body that serves our industry.

While we're waiting, though, take a good look at the fantastic opportunity that St George's Day presents the trade. The Morning Advertiser is convinced that this can be one of the biggest events in the pub calendar. We're working with an events organiser to make St George's a truly national occasion that's celebrated in the nation's pubs.

Charles Wells has done a fantastic job over the past few years in making St George's Day big in the trade, and Fuller's has also promoted it very well.

But this is the year when every brewer and every pub that believes England is a great place to be should support the cause. By all working together on this proudest of days, the trade can do vastly more for the nation's SWB than any government could ever dream of. So start planning for April 23 now. As someone surely once said, England expects every licensee to do his duty.