Annesley Abercorn: An urgent, coherent strategy is needed from the Government in order to save the Great British Pub

Annesley Abercorn was the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for the Hazel Grove constituency at the 2010 General Election. 

Over the years, every time I have begun to enjoy or appreciate something about our great nation, it has been either replaced with something inferior or abolished for good. Our great British pubs up and down the country are facing the same fate. A staggering 16 pubs closed each week until the end of December last year according to the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). Something should be done as a matter of urgency. 

Our pubs are a quintessential part of our national character and way of life. We should be proud of them, nurture them and protect them, for if they are to disappear altogether, we will deeply lament their loss. It should be in the Conservative Party's DNA always to long for the preservation of our pubs - a cornerstone of British culture. 

It is not the city centre pubs that are necessarily facing closure. They always benefit from people who pop in for a drink on their way home from work.  It is mostly the old fashioned back street and suburban locals that are under threat which are the focal point of so many communities. Not only are they part of our heritage, but they perform an important community function; bringing people together, having a conversation, looking out for one another. These are the characteristics which aid social cohesion. 

We have a problem with alcohol abuse in the UK. There is no doubt about that. But in addition to other measures that are being considered, keeping our pubs open is very much part of the solution. A pub is a controlled drinking environment where bar staff can monitor individual alcohol consumption and turn away anyone who is on the way to becoming incapable. In addition, it is much harder to drink a vast quantity in a small period of time. The environment is more conducive to having a conversation with each other. Talking takes place between sips and there is a delay between drinks when queuing at the bar to purchase the next one. Many pubs have also been successful in introducing food and snacks, which undoubtedly alleviate the effects of continuous drinking over a long period of time. That is why I believe that any increase on beer duty for example should not be a blanket application but that it should be weighted more on supermarkets and off licenses which sell poor quality ultra-high strength alcoholic drinks at an abhorrently low price. 

Annesley Abercorn: Boris's new Routemaster is a statement of confidence in our national identity

Annesley Abercorn was the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for the Hazel Grove constituency at the 2010 General Election and is an enthusiast of British vehicles.

I often find that the character of the nation can be captured within our buildings, landmarks, and street furniture; some of which have become symbolic icons recognised the world over as quintessentially British. This can also apply to vehicles and the Routemaster bus is no exception. I was four years old when I first caught a glimpse of the Houses of Parliament. It was from the top deck of a Routemaster bus - The No 159 heading north over Westminster Bridge. It was an inspiring moment because I was looking at one national icon from inside another - there was a connection on many levels.

This week, the first few of Boris’s new Routemaster type buses will grace the streets of London with their presence on Route 38. This is the first time in 50 years a bus has been custom designed for Londoners with the hop-on, hop-off facility. The original Routemaster bus was designed by Douglas Scott in the early 1950s and the last few were in service until as late as 2005. The new bus retains some of the post-war curves and interior colour scheme of the original model from where it draws much inspiration.

British design icons in the form of transportation need to evolve in order to survive. They have to meet the practical requirements of today if we are to continue to enjoy their presence. The new Mini for example is an interpretation of the original model. We shouldn’t be afraid to revive old icons that could perform a utility in a modern setting. The original Routemaster was a much loved symbol of London and Britain for many decades. When I realised that the end of the original Routemaster was nigh, I started to dream of a replacement moving landmark for London that would be an equally symbolic icon of Britain.

This week, Boris has delivered.