I’ve fought for the pub industry to ensure it stills plays the vital role it always has done

Congratulations are due to landlords Peter and Claire Tiley who have taken a great pub and made it truly exceptional.

The scale of their achievement cannot be overstated – they beat off nearly 50,000 other landlords from across the UK.

This just goes to show how pubs are pivotal parts of many communities and villages in the Stroud Valleys and Vale.

The beer and pub industry accounts for over 1,450 jobs here and contributes £30.5 million towards our local gross domestic product. The sector matters to us in many different ways and this is why I have worked so hard to promote and support it.

I successfully fought for two cuts to beer duty in the 2013 and 2014 Budgets, meaning beer is 13 per cent cheaper than planned by the last Labour Government. I am fighting for a third cut this year.

I have supported campaigns to keep pubs open – the Red Lion in Arlingham being a fine example – and I encourage people to visit them through holding occasional ‘advice surgeries’ or highlighting particular pubs (we all have our favourites).

Recently, I voted in Parliament to strengthen planning protection of pubs in order to prevent unwelcome change of use.

This vote was lost but you can be sure I will persist in fighting for this cause. This measure is of interest to those working to save the Tipputs Inn, Nailsworth.

I entered Parliament on the promise of introducing a pub adjudicator to enforce a statutory code of conduct for the industry. Aimed, chiefly, at promoting fairness for tenants in contractual relationships with pub owners, this legislation, I am pleased to say, will soon become law. The final and critical votes will take place next month.

I am also supporting CAMRA’s Manifesto for Pubs and Real Ale and will continue to wholeheartedly support our local pubs and brewers. I am particularly proud to have four successful breweries in the Valleys and Vale.