Robert Sturdy praises publican for re-opening village pub
Euro-MP Robert Sturdy has praised publican Bernard Lee for bucking the trend and re-opening a picturesque Cambridgeshire pub at a time when many others are pulling their last pint.
Mr Sturdy, a Vice Chairman of the British Beer Club in Europe, was invited to the John Barleycorn pub at Duxford to pull the official first pint.
Mr Lee has over 30 years experience in the hospitality business, much of which has been dedicated to pub training. He has also served as the National Vice-President of the Licensed Victuallers’ Schools and represents East Anglia as a trainer for the British Institute of Innkeeping.
Mr Sturdy said: “It was an honour to be asked to pull the official pub pint. Our rural pubs are a social lifeline for communities, just like post offices, and we need to support them, especially as 2,000 pubs have closed in the last year. I wish Mr Lee every success.”
Mr Lee said the pub had been closed for six months when he re-opened it with Greene King pub as its licensee.
He said:” This is a beautiful thatched village pub in an historic village with a great tourist attraction nearby at the world famous Air Museum. To open a pub in the current climate may seem a bit bold, but I wanted to have one last go at making it somewhere to be proud of. Trade has been most encouraging and I am hoping this will continue so it can be an asset to the community.
“I have opened and operated pubs in a recession before. My motto is, ‘when we think that it’s over, it’s over’.
“I would like to thank Mr Sturdy for pulling the official first pint and supporting us in this venture.”
Pic caption: Robert Sturdy, left, with Bernard Lee.
