Great and the good join Pub Week party

British Pub Week proved a big boost for licensees, and rose to national prominence with high-profile backing from the likes of David Cameron. Lesley Foottit reflects on the week that was.

It was the week that pubs fought back. Licensees from all corners of the country reaped the benefits of being involved in British Pub Week — and even David Cameron showed his support by visiting two pubs. Meanwhile, local MPs did their bit by popping into their locals, or even working a shift behind the bar.

British Pub Week ran from Saturday, 30 October, until Saturday, 6 November, and hosts were urged to stage a number of themed events to coincide with the major dates that fell around that time — Halloween and Bonfire Night — along with other activities to drum up trade throughout the period. Quiz nights and karaoke were popular choices, but one Cornish pub had another idea.

The Vyvyan Arms in Camborne went for the longest continuous game of darts during British Pub Week — and succeeded.

A group of four played for almost 34 hours straight — smashing the previous record by three and three-quarter hours.

Organiser and participant Matthew Flynn said: "It was very exhausting. People came along throughout the night to keep us awake. We had loads of people in over the two days, including around 30 newcomers."

The stunt raised around £1,000 for charity.

Bangers​

The Holly Bush Inn, in Salt, Staffordshire, made seven different sausages throughout the week using local venison, wild boar and free range and rare-breed pigs.

The pub always makes its own

sausages, but added more flavours for the week, including chilli and thyme; pork, leek and Stilton; and pork and Champagne.

Licensee Geoff Holland offered a trio of sausages with caramelised baby carrots and mash or creamed potatoes for £8.95.

The pub sold around 30 sausage meals a day on top of normal food sales, adding around 12% to turnover for the period.

"We're keeping more sausage varieties on as they were so popular," said Holland. "November is a quieter time so it's about trying to limit trade loss rather than build it.

"We advertised British Pub Week on our blackboards, but I think people came in for the sausages."

MPs support cause​

Meanwhile, MPs stepped up to the challenge issued by All-Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group chairman Greg Mulholland last week, with several popping into their locals across the country.

Fellow Liberal Democrat, Stephen Gilbert, MP for St Austell and Newquay, visited St Austell Brewery's the Ship Inn, in Pentewan, Cornwall, at the start of the week.

"The Ship Inn is one of those great local village pubs that we all wish we had at the end of our street," he said. "It's got a cosy bar, serves all the great St Austell Brewery ales, does great cooking and is at the heart of the community. I am keen to continue supporting British Pub Week for years to come."

Gilbert stepped behind the bar to pull a pint during his visit.

He presented licensee Kim Barker with a certificate from the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group to mark the occasion. "It was fantastic that he has an interest and that he is trying to help keep pubs going," said Barker. "It is really positive that he is behind us and supporting us — very encouraging news."

Elsewhere, Aidan Burley, MP for Cannock Chase in Staffordshire, worked a shift at a Mitchells & Butlers pub. He pulled pints at the Mill Farm pub in Cannock on Saturday — and was the "perfect barman", according to an M&B spokeswoman.

"He looked so relaxed behind the bar that some customers wouldn't believe he was actually their MP."

M&B revealed that 220 of its managers wrote to their MPs urging support for the pub as part of British Pub Week. Managers also called on their MPs to support the Parliamentary motion from fellow MP Andrew Griffiths to support a ban on below-cost alcohol sales to curb cheap superstore deals.

Bob Neill lends support​

The new community pubs minister Bob Neill was among the high-profile figures who gave their backing for British Pub Week when he attended a parliamentary launch at Westminster's Red Lion pub, organised by Mulholland.

More than 50 MPs and peers attended and Neill said: "As the newly appointed minister with responsibility for pubs, I was delighted to accept Greg's invitation and attend last week's British Pub Week event.

"The evening provided a great chance to meet with people who share my passion for local pubs and hear ideas about how we can better protect these great British institutions. I was able to emphasise the Government's determination to

protect the valuable role pubs play."

British Pub Week sponsor Punch Taverns praised "the way the industry has come together".

"We've got some real momentum to build on for next year's event," said a spokesman. "A number of our partners were involved and have seen benefits from the uplift in trade."

Reflecting on the celebrations, British Pub Week chair Inez Ward said she was "very pleased".

"It was better than expected. The Morning Advertiser, Unite and the BII (British Institute of Innkeeping) all more than played their part.

"Without their support British Pub Week would not have achieved what it has."

Ward also highlighted the work of Mulholland, the All-Party Parliamentary Save the Pub and Beer Groups, along with BII chief executive Neil Robertson and Punch regional director Ian Ronayne — who agreed to work behind a bar in a pub.

"It must have been like walking into the lion's den," said Ward, adding: "This trade needs more than one week, but I hope British Pub Week will grow and help the trade."