Britain’s oldest pub, the multi-award winning “Ye Olde Fighting Cocks”, celebrated the historic and important role of pubs last week with a visit from Anne Main MP.

Anne pulled some pints behind the bar of the St Albans pub on Friday 31 March, and discussed the history of British pubs with landlord Christo Tofalli.

Anne said: “Ye Olde Fighting Cocks is part of the huge historic offering that is St Albans. People don't just come to look at the cathedral, they come to see the architecture, Verulamium Park and to get the whole feel of what St Albans would have been like in past-times”.

Anne added: “The pub’s existence can be traced back to 793AD, making it 1,222 years old, though it was originally built near St Albans Abbey and was moved to its current site in 1539. This is why our offering is enormously important to overseas visitors, particularly Americans, as this history is what they really want to see.”

Photo: Visit Herts director David Curtis-Brignell, St Albans MP Anne Main and Ye Olde Fighting Cocks landlord Christo Tofalli