Source Hereford Times

Bromyard’s Mayor has defended the town after unflattering comments were made in a county newsletter.

The article, published by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), has caused a storm by referring to Bromyard’s High Street as a “sad parade of boarded-up pubs and shops”.

It also ridicules a description of Bromyard as an “affluent rural town” by an estate agent seeking to sell The Queen’s Arms.

The article, written by Mark Haslam (pictured) in the Hereford Hopvine newsletter, upset Bromyard Mayor Jamie Jacobsen, who felt it portrayed the town in an unfair light.

He wrote to CAMRA to say many shop fronts had been refurbished and the town’s three empty shops had been filled with Victoriana to attract visitors.

He added that Bromyard was home to some of the county’s best butchers’ shops and the town was bucking the economic trend with new businesses opening.

“I was puzzled by the comments,” said Councillor Jacobsen. “CAMRA has not helped Bromyard in promoting itself to potential investors.”

But CAMRA believes the comments have been taken out of context and the article was intended to be critical of how regional agents sell pubs.

“It was never our intention to have a cheap shot at Bromyard and we can only apologise for any perceived slight,” said Mr Haslam. “The article sought to highlight the unsatisfactory methods used by pub selling agents.

“It is our view that these actions, allied with the ownership of a large number of our pubs by national companies, presents a real threat to our pubs, especially those in Bromyard.”

He added that CAMRA had an excellent track record in supporting county pubs by giving free publicity and assistance, including the use of unpaid volunteer staff.