John Bishop of Colwall, Herefordshire says villagers should back their pubs (From Hereford Times)

John Bishop of Colwall, Herefordshire says villagers should back their pubs

8:00am Tuesday 4th September 2012 in Letters

 THE negative attitude of certain people in Lugwardine toward the landlord and landlady of the Crown and Anchor public house just beggars belief (Readers’ Times, August 16).

Mrs Anna Powell of Peterchurch suggests that the way to run a successful pub is to serve good food and drink.

Well, first and foremost, if she stopped to think about that statement she would realise that Mick and Sue Clifford serve, without doubt, some of the finest food and drink in Herefordshire.

The pub is a credit to them.

How dare she suggest that Mick acts as though he is still in the military? He is an extremely genial host and along with Sue they have managed to bring an ailing and failing pub back to a thriving business.

I firmly believe that the ones who complain most about village pubs complain ever louder when the facility closes. It’s a well known fact that rural pubs can bolster a rural economy, provide local jobs for local people, increase the sense of well-being in the area and, ultimately, preserve the heart and soul of the community.

It never ceases to amaze me that people buy houses next to the church and complain about the bells ringing, or live next door to a pub and complain about the occasional disruption.

Hopefully such characters won’t move next door to my farm in Colwall and complain about the noise of sheep.

JOHN BISHOP, Colwall, Herefordshire.