KEETCH PULLS THE PINTS AT THE HEART OF OAK IN PROUD OF PUBS WEEK 2009

11.09.17am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 14th Jul 2009

Paul Keetch MP will be dropping in at The Heart of Oak pub in Hereford city centre as publicans across the country celebrate the third Proud of Pubs Week and the public are being urged to join them as the fightback to keep the great British pub alive begins.

Mr Keetch is one of more than 100 MPs visiting pubs during the national celebration of pubs, organised by The Publican magazine, which runs from July 11 to 19.

The MP will be seeing for himself the positive contribution that The Heart of Oak makes in its community, as well as discussing issues with licensee Susan Jones as pubs face up to an unprecedented series of challenges in 2009, ranging from spiralling beer taxes to the credit crunch.

Other events in Proud of Pubs Week will include pubs putting on their own Proud of Pubs Night, many of them trying out new entertainment for the first time, and pubs highlighting the huge contribution of the industry to charity.

Recent research of more than 1,000 pubs, carried out for Proud of Pubs Week, suggests that the average pub raises more than £2,000 for charity every year.

Daniel Pearce, managing editor of The Publican, said: "Pubs do so much for their communities, raising millions of pounds annually for local charities and providing the warm welcome and friendly atmosphere that brings people together every night of the week. But they are facing an unprecedented threat - from rising beer prices, competition from supermarkets and the impact of the credit crunch.

"Proud of Pubs Week is a dedicated moment in time for licensees and their customers to remind everyone, especially their local media, of all the positive elements that pubs bring to their communities - we urge you to get behind your own local during the week! Visit your local and enjoy an experience that is quintessentially British"