It might be that it serves the best pint around or maybe it’s simply where everybody knows your name. Whatever the reason, a huge number of us keep a special place in our heart for the local pub. Whether it’s rustic or modern, traditional or gastro pub, everyone has their own favourite hideaway from the stresses of life.
With the launch this week of the Newstalk Best Local 2009, in association with the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI ), the search is on for the nation’s top local pub. Customers in County Mayo now have the chance to vote for their “watering hole” of choice and help it to get the national recognition they feel it so richly deserves.
Starting next Monday, July 13, and running for two weeks, listeners of the Sean Moncrieff Show on Newstalk 106-108 fm will be encouraged to text in the name and location of their favourite local pub. All those who vote will be in with the chance of scooping a top prize of a holiday worth €4,000 or one of four runner-up weekend breaks in Ireland worth €500 each.
Voting lines will close on Friday, July 24, at which point the pub with the highest number of votes from each of the four provinces will be selected to go through to the final. Over the following weeks each of the four provincial finalists will be interviewed live on air by Moncrieff’s roving reporter for a final chance to convince the public why they should be named Newstalk Best Local 2009.
Lines will then reopen for a final round of voting before the winner is revealed live on air on Friday, August 7. The winning pub will celebrate in style by playing host to a special live broadcast of Moncrieff to the nation on Friday, August 14.
The Newstalk Best Local 2009 is open to participating Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI ) pubs only. Customers should check with their local pub to see if they are taking part and stay tuned to Newstalk 106-108 fm or log onto www.newstalk.ie/bestlocal or www.vfi.ie for further details.
