St George's Day: raise a glass on April 23

Bombardier, arguably the drink that has over recent years made the biggest effort to associate itself with St George's Day, is trying to organise a unique gesture of national unity this April 23.

At 10.45pm, people in pubs across the land are being invited to raise their glasses simultaneously in a toast to 'England and St George'.

Through premium ale Bombardier, brewer Wells & Young's has put St George's at the centre of its marketing activities for the past nine years - which must have made some contribution towards the date becoming the third busiest in the English pub calendar behind St Patrick's Day and Mother's Day.

"We shouldn't be ashamed of being patriotic," says chairman Paul Wells.

"People celebrate St Patrick's Day so why shouldn't we celebrate St George's Day? It's about being proud of the country we live in, and that's why we want people to raise a pint of Wells Bombardier and take part in the official toast."

Despite the failure to make it a public holiday, he believes St George's remains a potent idea and that's backed up by research by Enjoy England - Celebrate St George's Day, an organisation set up to promote the occasion, that shows four-fifths of English people want to celebrate it.

"We started our campaign with a petition to make St George's Day a public holiday," says Paul. "Within just a couple of months, more than 60,000 people had signed it, which completely overwhelmed us.

"At present, 104,000 people have put their name to it, which just goes to show people really want to celebrate St George and England.

"A few years ago, many people didn't even know what month St George's Day was in, but because of the work Wells Bombardier has done to raise awareness, especially in pubs, more and more people are celebrating it. There is a real passion there but people need the opportunity - and Wells Bombardier is giving them that. We expect pubs up and down the country to stop at 10.45pm and join in with what we anticipate will become a great English tradition."

As an incentive, Wells is putting up a £1,000 prize for the drinker raising a toast in Bombardier in the most unusual location. Entrants must send a photograph plus 50 words by April 28, to The Office, 21 Coverdale, Carlton Colville, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 8TD.