Lock Stock star launches Love Your Local

Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels star Jason Flemyng would rather be serving punters in his pub than filming in Los Angeles.

At the launch of the Stella Artois Love Your Local competition in the Duchess, Battersea, which Flemyng co-owns, he said the pub needs to be put back into the heart of the community.

"I get a real buzz seeing all the familiar faces. Pubs used to be the place to go to find out about your neighbourhood.

"If the barman noticed one of the old boys hadn't been in for three days, he would go round and knock on the door," he said.

The Love Your Local competition seeks to reward London's best pub. Included in the criteria is how much the pub contributes to it's local community.

The winning licensee will receive an £8,500 prize and holiday, plus a £5,000 bursary towards a community project of their choice.

Flemyng, known for his role as a South London gangster in the 1998 box office hit, said: "People always associate gangsters with talking about 'community' and 'family.' It's the pub that should be associated with that."

Stuart MacFarlane, president of InBev's UK and Ireland operation said: "The hero in this initiative is not Stella Artois. The hero is the pub.

"We are looking for pubs that encourage community spirit, and responsible drinking above all."

To vote for your local pub which must be within the 32 London boroughs, visit www.loveyourlocal.co.uk​. Voting takes place until the end of September when ten pubs will make it onto the final shortlist.