Opinion: Look to the Irish

It was my uncle, proud Irishman that he is, who first introduced me to the phrase 'going back to the auld sod'. It's what you might say to an Irishman who is going back to the homeland.

And last week I went back to the auld sod myself. It won't surprise you to know that visiting plenty of pubs was in my plans.

But quite surprisingly my first encounter with Irish pubs came in the Gents in Cork airport. There, on A4 boards above the urinals, was not an advert for the latest lager but for pubs themselves.

It was a message from the Vintners Federation of Ireland and simply said on a plain black background: "Rediscover all the craic and atmosphere of your local pub." It was a positive campaign for pubs run by a trade association - it also runs regularly on Irish radio, voiced by Irish comedian Dara O'Briain; and there are TV ads as well as viral ads on YouTube.

Excuse the pun, but how refreshing! A pub trade, which faces similar challenges in terms of poor trading, a recent smoking ban and media concern over binge-drinking, clearing the decks for a very simple but very effective campaign to promote local pubs.

Could someone please tell me why the various UK trade associations and their members can't settle their differences, pull their respective fingers out and do something similar?

Why do I sense discussions on doing something like this have gone on and on behind closed doors for months. But the politicking and ego that afflicts this trade means that it has all got stuck in treacle. It's pathetic, and it's letting down the very people they serve - licensees.