The EDP's Support Your Pub campaign is an excellent initiative that deserves wide support. The local pub is so often the heart of village life. All of us who care about Norfolk's rural community, services and identity have to fight for them. That means two things:
- Supporting local pubs. As with Post offices, we either use them or lose them.
- Lobbying Government to stop irresponsible supermarket discounts on spirits and beer encouraging anti-social binge drinking.
It is madness that at a time when we need to be tackling outdoor binge drinking and encouraging a responsible culture of social drinking, the Government raises costs on pubs but allows supermarkets like Tesco's to run discount promotions targeting 'alcopops', cheap spirits and beer at youngsters.
This Saturday's bike ride is aimed at two things:
- Promoting some great local pubs 'off the beaten track' in rural Norfolk.
- Highlighting the rate of closure of rural pubs and the need for Government action.
Jessica Lapping, one of the Founders of the Dabbling Duck in Great Massingham, recent winner of the EDP Norfolk Food Award 2008 said the pub trade, like so many rural businesses, is facing tough times at the moment with recession, rising prices, duties and taxes. "We were delighted to be honoured with the EDP Award. We are a traditional, country pub with a modern twist . The food at The Dabbling Duck reflects the seasons and the menu changes accordingly, wherever possible the ingredients are sourced locally. We strongly support the Norfolk Way Campaign to promote local rural enterprise."
