St Albans pub campaigners have been awarded a national prize.
CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) presented Sean Hughes and Christo Tofalli with the National CAMRA Campaigner of the Year Award for setting up the Save St Albans Pubs campaign in a bid to fight business rate increases.
Devastating rate increases have afflicted pubs not just in St Albans but across the UK.
Roger Protz, an acclaimed beer writer from St Albans, who nominated Sean and Christo, said: "Sean and Christo have brought the threat to pubs to the attention not only of pub-goers but MPs and government ministers.
"Pubs such as The Boot and Ye Olde Fighting Cocks are vital hubs of our communities and we lose them at our peril."
Sean Hughes, vice chair of Save St Albans Pubs, now called Save UK Pubs, said: "We are delighted to have received this award. We want a fair tax system for our valuable community pubs. After all, once a pub is gone, it is gone."
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