In which I slag off the hoary old institution of the Great British Festival. But really, it’s not quite as simple as that…

Of all the ways to promote your pub and get more people in, having a bunch of locals paint their faces black and stand outside might not seem the wisest at first glance.

I can’t believe you’re 10 years old already. Why, just last week, you were being talked about in the national press as if you were the biggest new arrival since the royal baby.

Oddly, around this time of year I increasingly feel like I’m Publican Enemy Number One. It’s weird, because after 11 months of championing food beer and good pubs as much as I can, both in a professional and personal capacity, come January it’s like I’ve suddenly joined ranks with the new-prohibitionist zealots, the supermarket price promoters and HMRC.

The final weekend at the Alma on Newington Green was fairly typical. As a wet November Sunday gave in to an early dusk, the main bar filled. The large family birthday party, complete with surprisingly well-behaved toddlers, was getting ready to move on, their seats enviously eyed by the newly arrived late afternoon drinkers.

Something is troubling me about my regular days in town when, between meetings, I need to find somewhere to sit and tap out emails for an hour or so. Increasingly, I’m finding that pubs are shut before 4pm or 5pm, says Pete Brown.

The PMA’s feature on cider the other week reminded me of a conversation I had recently with one of the most talented bar managers I’ve ever met.

Pete Brown samples the buzz, and some of the beers, at the International Brewing Awards