Southampton Itchen Labour MP John Denham will be dropping in at the Royal Oak in Houndwell Place this evening (6th July at 8:00pm) as publicans across the country prepare to celebrate Proud of Pubs Week.

The new Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills is one of more than 100 MPs visiting pubs during the national celebration of pubs, organised by The Publican magazine, which runs from July 8 to 15.

John Denham will be seeing for himself the positive contribution that the Royal Oak makes in its community, as well as discussing issues with licensees Alan and Susan Dreaja following the smoking ban.

Other events in Proud of Pubs Week will see licensees raising a glass to their barstaff in a national toast, and pubs putting on their own Proud of Pubs Night, many of them trying out new entertainment for the first time.

Recent research carried out for The Publican underlines how many pubs transformed themselves before England’s smoking ban began:

• More than eight out of 10 (84%) now welcome families 
• One in three pubs (31%) is laying on new entertainment following the smoking ban – including everything ranging from karaoke and beer festivals to video snail racing
• 96% serve food after the smoking ban
• Eight out of 10 (82%) have an outside area, with eight out of 10 (78%) of these pubs having a dedicated area for smokers 

Daniel Pearce, deputy editor of The Publican, said: “Pubs do so much their communities and we thought it was about time that more MPs dropped in to their local to see that for themselves! Proud of Pubs Week is the ideal opportunity to pub landlords to shout out about all the great things they do.”