Mark Francois, MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, recently spent a Friday afternoon learning to pull pints behind the bar at a local pub, the Shepherd and Dog, at Ballards Gore, in his constituency.
Mark volunteered to work in the Shepherd and Dog, a traditional English pub which dates back to the 1930’s, where he spent a lunchtime shift serving locals, who used Mark’s presence as an opportunity to discuss several issues affecting the industry, such as the effects of the smoking ban, beer taxation, and the impact of red tape on the pub trade.
Parliamentarians up and down the country are showing their support for British pubs by volunteering to work a shift behind a bar as part of a campaign organised by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). The initiative is designed to help MP’s understand some of the challenges facing the pub trade in the current economic climate
Commenting on his shift, Mark said:
“It was really interesting to do a shift behind the bar, which provided an interesting insight into how hard local publicans and their staff have to work, as well as giving me the chance to talk to the regulars and catch up on important issues in the local area. It certainly helped me gain a greater understanding of the pub trade and the pressures it faces. The Shepherd and Dog has always been a great local pub, and I certainly admire the effort that the team there are making to keep it that way.”