Pubs have always been a key part of the cultural life of Birmingham and the West Midlands. In this column, I want to tell you about a brilliant scheme that is asking members of the public to suggest much-loved locals that could receive special protection, to save them from closure.

The response to the project has been remarkable. In the space of a few weeks, the ‘List Your Local’ campaign, organised by the WMCA and Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has received more than 155 nominations.

In fact, the scheme has proved so popular that no less than 50 of the nominations have come from outside the West Midlands – from as far away as Newcastle. Some much-loved local pubs received multiple nominations.

The result is that there are 65 individual pubs here in the West Midlands now on the list. Of these, 25 are considered so valuable they already have Historic England heritage listed status. However, the remaining 40 have no protection at all.

A prime example can be found in the heart of Digbeth, the spiritual home of Birmingham’s Irish community. The Spotted Dog is an example of a heritage establishment that is not historically listed, which is no doubt why the community has nominated it for inclusion.

Together, the WMCA and CAMRA have drawn up a ‘target list’ of suitable heritage pubs, which, alongside the public’s recommendations, will be examined on a case-by-case basis to see if and how they can be protected. Options include heritage listing, asset of community value listing, or community ownership.

It goes without saying that the shocking situation with the Crooked House in the Black Country highlighted just how easily even famous old pubs can be lost.

Pubs are so often the heart and soul of our communities, and, with your help, we can help protect these wonderfully historic buildings and give them a more secure future. I’m sure we’d all raise a glass to that.

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