CHEERS! SAYS MARTIN (Cheltenham Liberal Democrats)

Cheltenham Liberal Democrats <info@cheltlibdems.org.uk>

CHEERS! SAYS MARTIN

June 12, 2007 5:34 PM

Battledown Brewery

Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood today tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament calling on supermarkets to stock more local beers. It is aimed at promoting local breweries, many of which continue to struggle to get their products onto supermarket shelves, losing out to big brand beers.

The motion urges more supermarkets to follow the lead of Waitrose, who have recently committed to stocking a range of locally brewed beer in all their stores. Martin hopes that a major factor in the appeal will be the increased demand for such products from consumers, who are increasingly aware of the benefits of buying local goods.

Commenting, Martin said:

"This is a great opportunity for MPs to support distinctive local businesses in their constituencies. For me it's also about protecting the environment by encouraging the supply of local goods to supermarkets.

"And it's a great chance to promote one particular Cheltenham business in Battledown Brewery. Battledown's owner, Roland Berry, showed me round the Keynsham Works not long ago and I was delighted to discover a thriving local brewery on my doorstep.

"Brewing is part of Cheltenham history. I went to school at the old Pate's Junior School in St.Margaret's Road so I remember the smell of hops wafting across from the Whitbread Brewery next door. My longest-serving predecessor, Sir James Agg-Gardner, was a brewer, while my immediate successor Nigel Jones was chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group. So I think I stand in a fine Cheltenham tradition taking up this cause".

Martin has also written to all Cheltenham's local supermarkets asking them to stock Battledown's Cheltenham SPA bottled beer. He has also asked the House of Commons famous Stranger's Bar to consider stocking one of Battledown's draft beers as a guest beer.