Our pubs are the fabric that keep our communities woven. They are the talking shops of every town; a home for supporters to cheer on their teams and a training ground for budding musicians and quizmasters. The last stop for regulars on their way back from work, and a taste of the local community for visitors. As a politician, I also cannot help but appreciate their economic weight- a pub adds £100,000 to a local economy, so much so that it helped the national economy achieve net growth during the World Cup in November.
We are fortunate to have a number of great boozers across Bishop, Spennymoor, Shildon, Middleton-in-Teesdale and surrounding villages. In my inaugural “Best Pub Competition”, Barnard Castle’s The Cricketers Arms took home the title of best local. Will they hold onto their crown? You decide.
Nominations are now open for the Best Pub in our constituency. On the picture gallery above, I have included the constituency map, along with a map pinpointing all the pubs in the constituency area so you can get an idea of who is eligible. The top five nominees will then be compilated into a shortlist, where residents will get a final vote on our winners.
Nominate your favourite pub in the Bishop Auckland constituency below, or comment on my Facebook post.