BBPA and secretary of state celebrate the role of the pub in British tourism

26-Mar-2018 - Last updated on 26-Mar-2018 at 08:52 GMT

Tourism drive: Brigid Simmonds (second from right) and Matt Hancock (second from left) visited the Packhorse Inn

To round off English Tourism Week, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) Brigid Simmonds accompanied Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Matt Hancock MP, on a visit to one of his constituency's pubs.

According to a recent survey, frequenting a traditional pub is ranked among the top three tourist activities by visitors to these shores, with around 13m overseas tourists crossing the threshold of a British boozer every year.

Simmonds and Hancock, MP for West Suffolk, visited the Packhorse Inn in the historic Suffolk village of Moulton – which predates the 1086 Domesday Book survey ordered by King William the Conqueror – just outside Cambridge.

Huge draw for tourists

Simmonds said: “I was delighted to visit the wonderful Packhorse Inn in Moulton with the secretary of state, whose support for our sector is vital and appreciated. It is a great example of how pubs are a destination for not just delicious beer but also fabulous food.

“English Tourism Week has once again been brilliant at highlighting the many wonderful visitor attractions up and down the country. Pubs remain a huge draw for tourists, both international and domestic and bring enormous economic benefits to local areas and, of course, to the nation as a whole.”

Fantastic pubs

Hancock added: “There is nothing more iconic than a British pub, and it is easy to understand why a visit to a pub is at the top of most tourists’ lists of things to do when they visit the UK.

“The Packhorse Inn in Moulton is a particularly wonderful pub – beautiful, with a welcoming atmosphere and exceptional food and drink. In west Suffolk, we are fortunate to have so many fantastic pubs. Pubs and our long brewing tradition are at the heart of our cultural heritage.

“I am delighted to celebrate English Tourism Week here in Moulton. Tourism is one of the biggest industries in our country – we are rightly proud of what we can offer both local and international visitors alike when they come for a holiday.”

Taking place in spring each year, English Tourism Week campaigns to raise the profile of the hospitality industry and celebrate the value and quality of tourism in England.

On 19 March, the BBPA participated in the English Tourism Week annual conference where the key issues facing tourism and hospitality businesses were debated.