11 December 2020
Harriett names Tenbury pub for national award

West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has nominated a popular county pub for a national Parliamentary award after a year-long effort to help the community through crisis.

Harriett Baldwin MP with Lisa Barnes at the Fountain Inn
image/svg+xml

Harriett Baldwin MP with Lisa Barnes at the Fountain Inn

The Fountain Inn has taken on a crucial role, first helping the Tenbury community during flooding and then providing support for elderly and vulnerable people through the global pandemic.

Harriett has nominated the pub in the Parliamentary Pub of the Year awards, which this year has a focus on finding the best pubs displaying community spirit.

Each year, the MP is asked to submit a local pub for the award scheme and she submitted the Fountain Inn, in St Michaels, after receiving suggestions from constituents.

Harriett visited the pub last week to chat to owner Lisa Barnes and talk about the challenges she took on staying open during periods of lockdown and national restrictions.

Harriett said: “I was aware of the great work the pub was carrying out helping local people during the floods and I have had reports throughout the year about the pub’s efforts to help the community out during the pandemic.

“The pub is often a community hub and the Fountain Inn has clearly taken this job to its heart, providing help and support for people of all ages and swiftly adapting its business to keep open and operating during the most difficult of years.

“I had no hesitation in making the pub my nomination for the Pub of the Year this year and wish Lisa and the team good luck.”

Pub owner Lisa Barnes added: “My team at The Fountain Inn all care passionately about the local community and everything we do is for the people in it.

“A good pub should be the heart and soul of the community, a place where happy and sad times can be shared and troubles can be solved, this has been an especially trying year in many ways and we are proud to be nominated and will continue to support and care about our customers.”