DRINKERS at a Huddersfield pub were met by a familiar face behind the bar– the town’s MP.
Barry Sheerman was pulling pints at the Angel in Paddock to celebrate Proud of Pubs Week.
The MP heard from licensee Clifford Edwards about the positive contribution the pub makes to the area.
Mr Sheerman said: “Every village should have a pub. They’ve always been one of the centres of community life.”
The MP believes the smoking ban, which came into force in England on July 1, will help rather than hinder pubs and bars.
Mr Sheerman, who enjoys a pint of Timothy Taylor’s, said: “The ban will be good for pubs. Two-thirds of people don’t smoke and some of them had been staying away from pubs because they were fed up of going home stinking.”
Mr Sheerman is one of more than 100 MPs popping into their locals to mark Proud of Pubs Week, which is organised by The Publican magazine.
Its deputy editor, Daniel Pearce, said: “Pubs do so much for their communities and this week is a great opportunity for landlords to shout about the things they do.
“It’s good that so many MPs are coming to see this for themselves.”
