We need you to vote for Pub of the Year in The Courier Menu Food and Drink Awards – Caroline Lindsay finds out how to make your vote count – and why our pubs are a vital lifeline to the community.
As The Courier Menu Food and Drinks Awards approach, the judges will be getting together later this week to decide on a shortlist for nine of the categories. But we need your help for one very special category: Consumers’ Choice – Pub of the Year.
The shortlist will be published in this Saturday’s Courier and you can vote for your favourite pub on the list from Monday January 22. It’s completely free to do so – just visit www.themenufoodanddrinkawards.co.uk
The pub with the most votes will be announced at the Menu Awards gala dinner at the Old Course in St Andrews on March 15.
When you’re making your vote, think about whether the pub you’re choosing has created a distinct and high quality offering for their customers, with great service, a good range of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and a welcoming atmosphere.
A vital part of the community, pubs can be traced back to Roman taverns. Seventeenth Century diarist Samuel Pepys described the pub as the heart of the country.
Professor Ewan Gillon, clinical director and chartered psychologist for First Psychology Scotland, explains: “We human beings are naturally social animals and enjoying the company of friends and the wider community in the pub environment can be a hugely powerful method of combating loneliness, increasing our feelings of positive self-esteem and maintaining valuable social connections.
“It’s important to recognise the cultural and social role played by pubs which can be central to many communities and the hard work and effort that is put into ensuring a warm welcome is provided to all.
“It’s great to see initiatives such as the Menu Award scheme offering well-deserved recognition to those venues and people working hard to ensure a quality service is provided to all members of the local community.”
David Glass, who owns Doc Ferry’s Bar in Broughty Ferry and is also chairman of Dundee Licensed Trade, knows at first hand the role a good pub can play. When he left school, he soon realised an office job wasn’t for him but wasn’t sure what to do instead. Needing somewhere relaxing and welcoming to go to mull over his options, he headed for his local for a spot of lunch with a pal.
“The next thing I knew, the girl at the bar was offering me a couple of shifts and that was it – the bug had bitten!”
After running the bar for the previous owner for six years, he took over 14 years ago and counts his blessings every day.
“I love going to work and I love my trade,” he smiles. “Although we have a good mix of regulars and visitors, every day is different and you never know who’s going to walk through the door.
“We’re very lucky in the Ferry as there are around 15 licensed premises within walking distance of each other – it’s like a micro-climate!” he laughs. “We all look after each other and if we run out of something we just pop round to another pub and borrow it from them.”
Like his grandfather George Stirling before him, who ran the Volunteer Arms in Bell Street until 1971, David prides himself on the true community spirit of his pub.
“We welcome anyone and everyone from 18 to 80,” he says. “We’re open for coffee in the morning and snacks at lunchtime so you see the transition of different clientele through the day.”
He points out that there’s much more to a pub than just getting people in through the door.
“We have a fair few older folk who come in and if they don’t pop in you wonder where they are. Then we’ll go round to check they’re OK and drop in milk or ham or something.”
Like all publicans, David advocates a sensible approach to drinking and suspects that the low pricing of alcohol in supermarkets might lead to some people drinking alone at home and missing out on important social interaction at their local.
“I think it’s great that the Menu Food and Drink Awards are showcasing Courier Country’s pubs and highlighting their importance to the community.”
www.dundeepsychology.co.uk and www.firstpsychology.co.uk
