As part of an initiative that saw five Cornish MPs getting behind the bar in their local pubs, George Eustice MP accepted a personal invitation from James Staughton, Managing Director of St Austell Brewery, one of Cornwall’s largest private sector employers, to experience first-hand the life of a publican, at the Tyacks Hotel in Camborne.
The bar shift gave the MPs an opportunity to learn more about the pub trade, and also a chance to pull pints for their local constituents.
Mr Staughton said: “I am delighted our MPs have taken this opportunity to show their support for the industry and learn a bit more about the pressures faced by pubs and their staff. Pubs play a vital role in our economy and are often the hub of local communities.
“St Austell Brewery is committed to ensuring that local pubs retain their special character and remain vibrant places, well placed to serve their communities in the years to come. While we are confident the vast majority of pubs in the region can have a strong, positive future we know only too well the daily pressures in adapting to customer behaviour and market change and it is a sad fact that in some cases the viability of individual pubs will be threatened.
“Issues such as record levels of red tape and beer tax need addressing if we are to help protect this great British institution and promote safe, responsible drinking – and our MPs can help make that happen.”
George Eustice said, “I thoroughly enjoyed my experience working behind the bar at the Tyacks Hotel and discussing some of the challengers that the pub industry faces with the management. I have always believed that we should reduce alcohol duties for our pubs and licensed premises because the majority of the problems tend to be linked with cheap alcohol bought in supermarkets and street drinking. We should encourage people to drink responsibly in the sociable atmosphere of pubs and support this traditional British industry.”