After a busy week of visits and meetings with residents and businesses across Carshalton and Wallington, it was lovely to round it off at the Duke's Head Pub in Wallington.
Connal Donovan, General Manager of the Duke's Head, and his team have been working tirelessly throughout the coronavirus pandemic to support local residents, including through using his kitchens to prepare meals for vulnerable and elderly people in the area.
Many people - more than for any other local organisation - had nominated Connal and his team for one of my Unsung Heroes awards, celebrating the sort of community-minded spirit that the Duke's Head has made front and centre to their response to the pandemic. I was pleased to tell Connal when we met again today that I have also nominated him and the Duke's Head for the Community Pub Hero awards being run by the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group, as well as for an Openreach Community Connectors award. Thoroughly well deserved!
Connal and I spoke about the challenges faced by the pubs sector, and the work that he's put in at the Duke's Head to make it COVID secure for patrons. The newly refurbished heated and covered outside area is fantastic, and I would very much recommend booking into one of the new "huts" for drinks and/or food.
I reaffirmed my own support to pubs and the wider breweries industry, and look forward to seeing the Duke's Head continue to go from strength to strength.
