CUSTOMERS could soon be raising a glass to an award-winning pub as it once again looks to pick up a prestigious prize.
The Victoria Inn in Haddington is one of three Scottish pubs in the running for the Community Support Hero award at the community Pub Hero Awards.
The annual celebration recognises pubs across the UK that go above and beyond for the communities that they serve.
Last year, the Court Street business picked up the Community Sport Hero for Scotland prize.
Now, Craig Douglas, owner, is hoping to be celebrating once again.
He described being a finalist as “humbling” and said: “It is very nice to be recognised.
“There were a few groups that I help that wrote some really, really lovely letters and I got to read them.”
Mr Douglas has been at the helm of the business for seven years.
During that time, he has helped grow women’s football and rugby in the town, as well as the careers of two young ice hockey players.
However, he has also been helping youngsters in the classroom.
He told the Courier: “For the last four years, this is the first time I have gone public, I have been supplying food every week to Meadowpark School, which is the communications provision of Knox Academy.
“It was brought to my attention four years ago that they had a breakfast club there.
“At the time, there were about 10 to 14 kids and the only meal they were getting was their school dinner.
“I heard that the caretaker at the school was funding the breakfast club out of their own pocket and it just hit me like a bullet through the heart; this was wrong.
“I was taken along to meet them and fell in love with the place.
“The kids and the staff are the most beautiful people ever.
“So, I started to provide them with food for their breakfast club and over the years it has grown.
"Now, it has maybe 30 kids that attend the breakfast club.
“It is very, very humbling.”
Since then, Mr Douglas, who was previously a member of Haddington and District Community Council, has also helped to stock a library at the school, which is home to about 60 children.
Joining The Victoria Inn as a finalist from Scotland are The Islay Inn in Glasgow and Edinburgh’s Vine Bar.
The selection of finalists was entrusted to a panel of experts, each bringing a wealth of experience and insights into the pub industry and community engagement.
The panel included: Rita King, honorary secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group and PubAid steering group member; Elisabeth Rochford, ESG lead at Diageo GB; Paula Smith, head of marketing at the Licensed Trade Charity and PubAid steering group member; Paul Hegarty MBE, non-executive director at SIBA; Tony Sophoclides, strategic affairs director at UK Hospitality; and Yasmin Thornton at the British Institute of Innkeeping.
All finalists will be invited to a special drinks reception at the House of Commons on September 8, where their achievements will be celebrated and winners crowned.
Mr Douglas said: “A pub for me is the heart of the community.
“We should serve everyone, not just alcohol or food, but anybody in trouble or anybody that needs help.”
Paul McLennan, East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs MSP, paid tribute to Mr Douglas and the pub.
He said: "Across East Lothian, plenty of people want to make a difference - but community action needs places, and people, who can bring everyone together.
"In Haddington, Craig and the team at the Victoria Inn do exactly that.
"They provide the space, the connections, the encouragement and the practical support that let community groups and local people get things done.
"The result is bigger than any one person's efforts - it builds a network of people helping people.
"Craig deserves real credit for his leadership, but this is just as much about the team around him and the community that has grown up around the Victoria Inn.
"Their true achievement is creating an environment where people want to get involved, support one another and contribute to Haddington."
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