SANDRA'S PROUD OF LOCAL PUBS

3.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 19th Jul 2008

As publicans across the country celebrate the second 'Proud of Pubs Week', Test Valley MP, Sandra Gidley has dropped in at the family owned Hatchet Inn in Sherfield English to pull a pint and to encourage locals to join the fight to keep the great British pub alive.

Sandra also discussed the issues facing local pubs with owners Hayley and Sandra Duke-Glover and Shaun Finch, who only recently took over the pub in March.

Commenting after her visit, Sandra said:

"Local pubs, like the Hatchet Inn, are at the heart of local life and are often used by clubs and groups up and down the Test Valley further enriching community spirit in the area.

"It is worrying though that so many of these community hubs are facing really hard times with increased beer prices and people feeling the pinch.

"The government needs to look at new ways of helping our hard-pressed locals urgently. For example, they should lower the tax on beer sold in pubs and instead raise it on alcohol sold in supermarkets. This would not only help get people back into their local pubs, but would also encourage responsible drinking in a managed environment."

"I will certainly do all I can to help the Hatchet Inn and our other local pubs in parliament. I hope too that residents across the Test Valley will get down to their locals and show their support for our great British pubs."

The landlady of the Hatchet Inn, Hayley Duke-Glover, added:

"Pubs like ours do so much for the community and we are really glad that Sandra has been able to see this for herself.

"As we face up to massive challenges this year, Proud of Pubs Week is the ideal time for locals to come by and show some support by having a pint or by trying our wonderful home cooked food."

Sandra pulls a pint at the Hatchet Inn in Sherfield English

ENDS